Kenichi Returning
by JubileeGrimm
Summary: Miu is over 30 years old, Hayato "Elder" Fuurinji is dead, and Kenichi Shirahama has become an S Class master. In order to complete his training, he left Ryouzanpaku to train in isolation, and now he's returning home with stories to tell, and a new generation of disciples are running around town. Also, Kenichi and Miu are unsure of their relationship without the Elder around.
1. Exordium

The captains of the Shinpaku Alliance are now a little over 30 years old, Hayato "Elder" Fuurinji is dead, and Kenichi Shirahama has just become an S Class master. In order to complete his training, he left Ryouzanpaku to train in wandering isolation, and now he's returning home with stories to tell. However, a new generation of disciples are running around Kenichi's old town and they need to learn the true meaning of martial arts. Also, lurking in the shadows, Kenichi and Miu's love for each other rekindles, but they are unsure if they should restart their relationship without the Elder's approval.

* * *

Chapter 1

Exordium

...

"Apa! Akisame! Akisame!" Apachai Hopachai's bellowing voice could be heard across the dojo. Miu Fuurinji, curious at the eagerness in Apachai's voice, rushed out to see.

"What is it?" Akisame Koetsuji, who had assumed authority of the dojo after the Elder's death, asked. By now, all the masters of Ryouzanpaku had gathered at the entry to see what was going on.

"Apachai found an intruder!" he said enthusiastically but blankly, with a small girl kneeling down on both knees in front of them. Sakaki Shio eyed her with disdain, but kept silent.

The girl's eyes were steely and cold, something rare in a girl so young. She was probably 12 years old or in her early teens. A black fedora lay perched atop light silver hair that fell down to her mid back. She wore a black suit vest over a white dress shirt with its long sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a short black shirt that reached the middle of her thighs.

Ma Kensei could tell that in a few years she would be perfect.

"Any reason in particular that you've come here, or are you lost?" Akisame asked her.

"My name is Lisa Kugenin," she said flatly. "My master and I separated a month or so ago and he said to come here to Ryouzanpaku today to wait for him."

_Kugenin?_ Miu thought the name sounded very familiar, but couldn't for the life of her remember why. She wondered who this girl's master was, and why he'd instructed his disciple to come here.

"You think we'll let some brat stay here for no reason?" Sakaki started. "We don't let just anyone in this dojo! This isn't a motel!"

"Aren't you… curious?" Shigure Kosaka asked from the ceiling.

"Yeah! Apachai wants to know who Lisa's master is!" Apachai bellowed, joining his comrades.

"I'm sorry this is so sudden, but my master insisted that I be here a few days before him," Lisa said.

"Who is your master?" Akisame asked. "Is it someone who knows us?"

"I was also instructed not to say," Lisa said without emotion.

"I think Li-chan should stay!" Miu enthused. "We don't get guests often, and it wouldn't be any trouble! Plus, she's so cute!"

"I agree," Kensei laughed, and Miu smacked him lightly in the head.

Lisa looked at him apathetically then turned back to Akisame.

"Apachai wants her to stay!" the bronze behemoth whined.

"Me…too," Shigure agreed.

"Ah, as long she doesn't bug me," Sakaki mumbled.

"It'll be fun to have a guest in the house!" Kensei pointed out.

"Ple-e-ease, Akisame?" Miu begged.

"Fine, but we'll reassess the issue when her master appears," Akisame agreed.

"Li-chan, do you have any bags we need to help you with?" Miu asked immediately.

Miu noted the sharp and concentrated look in Lisa's eye when she looked at her. Actually, Miu thought, Lisa seemed to look at everything with analytical eyes. She never seemed distracted or bored, but always focused. Whenever Lisa answered a question, her words had a specific audience and she never spoke to the general public.

"Thank you, Miu-san, but I can handle it," she stood nimbly.

"How did you know her name?" Akisame asked.

"My master described each of you in great detail, Akisame-san," she answered. "I'll bring in my things now; if you'll excuse me." Lisa turned and walked out the door.

They waited for the door to close entirely before turning to each other.

"Is it just me, or is the name 'Kugenin' eerily familiar?" Akisame asked.

"I thought so too," Kensei agreed. "And what was that about her master? Do you think he wants to challenge Ryouzanpaku? He may be trying to take advantage of the element of surprise."

"What about her strange ki?" Miu offered.

The other masters murmured in agreement.

"Lisa isn't scared of Apachai!" Apachai noted.

"She's pretty high-level for a disciple, that much is true," Sakaki amended.

"She has training in… weapons," Shigure pointed out.

"How do you know that?"

"I can tell."

"Everyone shush! She's coming back," Miu gestured for them to be quiet.

Lisa walked in, a large hiking pack strapped to her back and a tote bag in her left hand. The masters inadvertently stared at the girl in the doorway, and she stared back level-eyed.

"Could someone show me where I'm staying, please?" she asked in a very formal tone.

"Miu, could you please show her to Kenichi's room?"

* * *

Tanimoto Natsu landed on the familiar roof of his old high school. He glanced around. It seemed that the gardening club was no longer active, and all that remained of it were the sparse dead remnants of the potted plants that had once flourished on this rooftop.

"Tani-sensei," the young boy next to him landed beside him. "Where are we?"

"Took you long enough to catch up," Tanimoto snapped. "Be quicker, stupid boxer! Anyways, this town is where I lived for a while as a teen. This is also where Ryouzanpaku and the majority of the former Shinpaku Alliance is, and that man called a meeting here."

"What man? What are you talking about, Tani-sensei?" the boy asked eagerly.

"Stop asking questions! And don't call me Tani-sensei!" Tanimoto fumed.

* * *

"Oh my gawd," a woman in the streets pointed the next day when she saw him. "It's Prince Tanimoto!"

"Prince Tanimoto?" a few other women turned. By now, Tanimoto's old classmates were already married and were out shopping with their children (and some of them husbands), but the women still ran over to Tanimoto just as they did in their days as school girls.

"Hello, girls! Or should I say, ladies!" he smiled dazzlingly, and several of the women looked like they were about to faint. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but could you tell me where Haruo Niijima is staying?"

They told him immediately.

"Prince Tanimoto, are you staying in town? How long?" many of them shouted similar questions.

"I'm not sure how long I'm staying, but I'm very busy. I'll definitely see you girls again later!" he waved charismatically and chuckled. "You've all matured into beautiful women! I'll see you all later!"

He strode away confidently, with his disciple by his side.

"So, Tani-sensei," the boy jested as he flipped his black braid over his shoulder. "Were you a ladies man in high school?"

"Shut up, kid, and I told you not to call me that," Tanimoto snorted, switching back to his true personality.

"Whatever you say, Prince Tanimoto-sensei," the boy snickered.

Tanimoto ignored him, and as they turned the corner to enter a dark alley, they both quickly climbed up the buildings to the roofs to hasten their journey to the alien's dwelling.

* * *

"P-Prince Tanimoto!" Yuka Niijima, formerly Yuka Izumi, gasped in shock. "What a surprise! Are you here for Haruo-san?"

"Y-You married the alien?" Tanimoto was more than a little shocked as well.

"Yes, well," Yuka blushed and scratched her head. "Please come in, and I'll call him for you."

"I really must be on my way," Tanimoto shook his head. "If you could call him out, I just need to tell him a quick message from an old friend."

"Of course," Yuka bowed quickly and retreated into her home.

"Did you date her? Is she your ex-girlfriend?" the boy asked.

"No," Tanimoto hissed.

Haruo Niijima, former general to the Shinpaku Alliance, had changed a lot. His ears were actually not as pointed or as big as they used to be and much resembled human features, although the same could not be said for his nose and antennae. He also sported a short mustache on his top lip.

"Hermit! It's been a long time!" Niijima tried to pat Tanimoto's shoulder, but the unwilling martial artist twisted his arm and released.

"I'm not here for a great reunion, alien," Tanimoto interrupted. "He called a meeting for everyone in the Shinpaku Alliance."

"Silly Tanimoto! Didn't you hear? The Shinpaku Alliance doesn't exist anymore!" Niijima reminded him.

"Well, everyone in the former Shinpaku Alliance! Really, he just wanted all his old friends back together," Tanimoto waved his hand. Then he noticed that Niijima was wearing a very formal black suit and he recalled that his wife Yuka had also been dressed very darkly. "Are you going somewhere?"

"We're visiting our son and Kisara," Niijima answered after a moment.

"What do you mean? Did she take him in as her disciple or something?" Tanimoto demanded.

"You didn't hear?" Niijima was a little confused. "They were both killed a few years ago in a gang war. Kisara had a dojo opened and my son was a disciple there, but the gangs tried to burn it while they were training and killed them both."

Tanimoto fell silent.

"That's unfortunate," he said stiffly. "I'll see you later, alien."

"Bye, Hermit," Niijima waved as Tanimoto and his disciple took off.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't Tanimoto Natsu," Ma Kensei greeted him at the door of Ryouzanpaku.

"Hello, Kensei-san," he nodded to him in greeting. "Could you please gather the other Ryouzanpaku masters? I have a message from your disciple."

Sakaki peered into the room. His disciple had sent a message their way?

Needless to say, it didn't take long for all the masters to be gathered in the dojo once they'd heard that their beloved disciple had something to say. They lined up on one side facing Tanimoto and his disciple, who sat opposite of them.

"What…did he say?" Shigure demanded.

"I'm also very curious to see what his message is," Akisame stroked his mustache.

"I can't imagine him sending us a message without it being important," Kensei pointed out.

"Apachai hopes his first disciple is not dead!" he exclaimed.

"D-don't say such ominous things, Apachai!" Sakaki stammered.

Miu stayed silent. She hadn't heard from her childhood friend in more than 10 years. She hoped that he was safe and the news he had for them wasn't bad.

"First of all, he said that the Shinpaku Alliance and Ryouzanpaku should have a meeting to discuss a pressing issue that hasn't been addressed," Tanimoto said.

"What issue?" Akisame asked.

"He didn't say," Tanimoto answered him. "Please listen to the whole message before asking questions, if you don't mind."

Tanimoto's disciple sat uncomfortably. He'd heard his master relay this message a thousand times already and was unbelievably bored. He didn't bother being discrete, because in a room full of masters there was no way that they wouldn't notice his escape, but he attempted to be quiet as he exited the room and entered the kitchen.

The disciple stalked around for some time. He investigated the hallways and peered into the rooms whose doors were light enough to open.

As he opened one of the doors, he realized someone was in that room. It was someone he recognized.

"Lisa!" he grinned widely. "What are you doing here? I thought you and your master were in Brazil!"

"We left there ages ago," Lisa nodded to him in greeting. "I'm a little surprised myself. I thought Tanimoto-sensei took you back home to China."

"Nah! I thought so too, but when he said home he meant Japan!" the boy whined. "Here I thought I would finally be able to return home, but ol' Tani-sensei said we had to come here!"

Lisa told him a bit about what she had been up to since they last met. After she fell silent (sworn to secrecy, she claimed), the boy went into great detail about his last three months. In fact, he told about every little thing that had happened, including what he'd had for breakfast for the past few days.

"Stupid brat, don't go revealing secrets!" Tanimoto's voice sounded from behind him, and he struck his silly disciple.

"Wah! But Tani-sensei, I haven't seen Lisa in foreve-e-er!" he whined.

"Who is that kid anyways?" Sakaki asked as the other masters came up behind him.

"Kensei-san should at least recognize his own grandson," Tanimoto answered.

"_Grandson?_" The masters, including Kensei, exclaimed.

"I have a grandson?! Which of my daughters-"

"Of course, Renka needed an heir," Tanimoto interrupted the confused Chinese master.

"When did Renka get married?" Miu asked, trying to imagine the cat-like Kenpo master in a wedding dress. Somehow the image didn't stick.

"About 12 years ago, the year after this brat was born," Tanimoto said. "To that laid-back boxer, Takeda Ikki."

"Eh?!" That name still made Miu blush as she remembered the day so many years ago that she'd been forced to reject his love in Kenichi's absence. "So this kid's name is Ikki?"

"No," Tanimoto said. "Uh… What was your name again, kid? Introduce yourself, dammit!"

"My name is Kenichi Ma! Pleased to meet you all! Especially you, Miu-san! Papa told all about how amazing you are!" Ma smiled and bowed in respect.

"His name is… Kenichi," Shigure repeated in surprise.

"Yes, Kenichi Ma!"

"They heard, stupid brat!"

"What about me?! Aren't you pleased to meet your own grandfather!" Kensei whined to Ma.

"Well, sure, but I haven't exactly heard marvelous things about you!" the boy laughed loudly.

"He's Takeda's son, alright," Miu chuckled.

"And the other one? You seem to know Lisa Kugenin as well, Tanimoto," Akisame asked.

"This girl? Can't you tell by her name and her face?" Tanimoto asked. "Not even you know, Miu?"

"Um… the name Kugenin sounds familiar," she admitted sheepishly.

"My father is Hibiki Kugenin, also know as the 5th fist Siegfried," Lisa said. "My mother is Kaname Kugatachi, also known as the third fist Freya."

"Freya and Seigfried?!" The masters were unable to hide their shock.

"They're married?! That kid with the hat and that busty girl?" Kensei cried, gesturing to Shigure's chest in a depiction of Freya.

"No," Lisa answered. "I am a child born out of wedlock. Anyways, if you're quite finished, I have to train. Do you mind if I use the dojo, please?"

The masters were surprised by the girl's attitude as well, but granted her permission.

"By the way, Kensei-san," Tanimoto asked. "Do you know where the ones who killed Kisara are?"

"I could find out for you."

"That would be… helpful."

* * *

"Miu… are you… okay?" Shigure asked.

"Yeah," she answered.

* * *

He stood at the dojo's doors with strength in his heart and martial arts in his fists.

He recalled the days when the gates to Ryouzanpaku were heavy against his scrawny arms and his weak knees trembled under his growing fear.

He looked at his fist and at his fingers. Deep in his memory, he saw the Elder, Hayato Fuurinji, opening the door with one finger.

He placed his index finger on the door and gave it a little push.

The doors swung open to greet him.

Sakaki dropped his bottle when he saw his beloved disciple at the gates, now a man of over 30 years.

Akisame looked up with interest.

Apachai, Shigure, and Kensei ran out to see him.

Miu stared at him, frozen in place.

Lisa moved to say hello to her master.

"Hey, guys," Kenichi Shirahama grinned. "I'm back!"

* * *

Author's note: I'm sorry that Kenichi only showed up at the very end, but I thought it was more poetic that way.

-JubJub


	2. Retrouvailles

Chapter 2

Retrouvailles

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama was the same boy they remembered from his teenaged years, but he was in a different container. He was now roughly Akisame's height with a more delicate-looking build, but the masters knew their disciple was plenty strong under the complacent mask.

"I'm so glad everyone's gathered!" Kenichi announced at the meeting the following day. "Takeda and Freya couldn't be here, and Kisara, bless her soul, but thanks, everyone!"

"Where are Takeda and Freya?" Thor thundered his question.

"Takeda lives in China with his wife and Freya has been living in America," Kenichi answered.

"What's the deal with this meeting anyways, weak-knees?" Niijima prodded. "Is there some new threat that we've got to fight against?"

"My commander, your heart has an unmistakable Adagio tempo!" Siegfried sang. "La, lala! I can only wonder what it is you've brought us here for!"

"I-it's nothing important, really!" Kenichi laughed and scratched his head, blushing a little.

"Tanimoto made it sound really urgent and serious!" Niijima countered.

"Yeah, Natsu say there big issue we need to discuss!" Apachai agreed.

Everyone turned to Tanimoto.

"I assumed it was important," he shrugged, slightly embarassed. "I didn't take into account Shirahama's whimsical personality."

"Anyways," Lisa interrupted from between her father and Kenichi Ma. "Go on, Ken-sensei."

"Right," Kenichi Shirahama laughed. "Well, now I feel bad. I really just wanted to formally say hello to you all! Ha hah!"

*smack*

"Stupid Shirahama, gathering people for that," Tanimoto said, cuffing Kenichi's head on his way out.

"Wait for me, Tani-sensei!" Kenichi Ma called as he ran after him.

"Stuff it, kid," Tanimoto snapped. "I'm leaving, and you're not coming with me."

"What? But sensei, what about my training?! Please don't leave me behind!" Kenichi Ma pleaded.

"Do what you want," Tanimoto scoffed. "I might come back; I might not."

"Don't worry, Ma," Kenichi Shirahama patted him on the shoulder. "Let him go."

"B-but Uncle Shirahama-!"

Before Ma Kenichi could finish his sentence, Tanimoto was already gone.

"So you had a child?" Thor whispered to his buddy Siegfried.

"You didn't?"

"But you're not married! When did you and Freya… you know…"

"Well, she felt strong maternal instincts, and I was the only one around. Plus, I wanted to hear the rhythm of fatherhood and the melody turned out to be _amazing-_"

"TMI, Siggy," Ukita shuddered.

"Siegfried, I wanted to talk to you about Lisa," Kenichi Shirahama called. "We're gonna be staying in town for a long while, so could you enroll her in the middle school?"

"No, Ken-sensei," Lisa interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Kenichi was surprised.

"Master, I need to concentrate on my training!" she said stubbornly but calmly in the same way a young Akisame might have behaved. "I can't distract myself with school."

"But, Lisa-"

"There's no 'buts' to be given, master," Lisa went on.

"This was what I was afraid of," Akisame sighed.

"I know," Sakaki shook his head. "No matter how much Kenichi's changed, I can't imagine him having much backbone against his disciple."

"He'll probably… give in," Shigure predicted.

"Poor Kenichi is too nice!" Apachai nodded.

"Why don't you listen to your master, Lisa? He knows what's best for you," Siegfried asked his daughter firmly.

"Father, please don't interfere when it comes to my training," she said respectfully. "This is between me and my sensei."

"Lisa," Kenichi said darkly.

His masters turned their heads sharply when they sensed his stern ki.

"Yes, master?" Lisa turned to face Kenichi.

"You are a sei type fighter," he said seriously, without humor in his voice. "As such, in order to become the best martial artist you can, you need a strong heart, body, _and_ mind. If you want to be my disciple, you need to want to improve all aspects of yourself."

Lisa was silenced.

"It's probably more frustrating for Ken-chan," Kensei noted. "Because he's always been a very studious kid in school."

"Kenichi, don't you think that's a little harsh?" Akisame asked his pupil.

"This is the only way to make her take me seriously," Kenichi answered. "After all, she respects me as martial artist but doesn't think of me as a real adult. Plus, Akisame-sensei, you're talking about harsh? You're one to talk about harsh, you slave-driver!"

"You're not doing conditioning with her?" Akisame looked appalled.

"Well… yeah, but Lisa's… different than I was," Kenichi scratched his head. Kenichi's disciple turned slowly to Siegfried and stayed silent for a moment before speaking.

"Father…" Lisa asked embarrassedly.

"I'll have you enrolled tomorrow, my Cavatina!" Siegfried knew her request before she even asked it.

"W-what about me?" a devastated Kenichi Ma sniffled.

"We can house Kensei's grandson until Tanimoto returns," Akisame said. "And I suppose you'll be enrolled in school as well."

"He can share a room with me!" Kensei volunteered.

"Great! Tell me, gramps, is there as much porn in there as Mama tells me?"

"Ma!" Kenichi Shirahama blushed in panic. "Don't ask that!" Kensei leaned in to whisper to his grandson.

"More."

"Alright, well, that's the end of _that_ conversation!" Miu herded a grinning Ma Kenichi away from his grandfather. Kensei laughed maniacally while Kenichi rubbed his head, basking in the awkwardness of his Chinese Kenpo master.'

* * *

"My little Cavatina!" Siegfried sang to his daughter. Lisa looked up. "I've kept your cello in prime condition for you! Would you like to come play it for me?"

Lisa's eyes instantly ignited at the sound of her precious cello, but she really ought to return to her training. The girl, who was unstably inclined to adore music, glanced at her master, who was standing a few yards behind her.

"Go ahead," Kenichi Shirahama allowed. "You haven't played the cello in a long time."

"Can I go too, Uncle Shirahama?" Ma Kenichi asked. "I want to hear her music, too!"

"Why does a boy want to hear my beautiful cellist's melody?!" Siegfried boomed. Ma Kenichi stiffened and gave a small yelp at the rapid escalation of intensity in the man's ki.

"Calm down, father, he didn't mean it that way," Lisa said. "He's just a friend. Ma-kun is just curious to find out that I play the cello. He's not intimate with me." Each sentence could have punched a hole through Ma Kenichi. Kenichi Shirahama chuckled.

"Oh," just as quickly as Siegfried's fire had been lit, it was extinguished. "Well in that case, I shall welcome Ma Kenichi to listen to my daughter's music! Ah, this melody of fatherhood has so many different movements! It's very refreshing-"

"Father, please stop talking about that melody," Lisa snapped.

Ma Kenichi was surprised. He didn't think he'd ever seen Lisa snap before.

"Uncle Shirahama," he whispered to the older Kenichi. "Why did Lisa get mad just now? Does she hate her dad?"

"Oh, she wasn't mad, and she doesn't hate him," Kenichi Shirahama explained. "But she's always felt resentful to him, and she's frustrated."

"About what?"

"Well, if you think about it, Lisa is just as passionate about music as her father is," Kenichi went on. "But Siegfried has been let in on the 'melody of fatherhood' or whatever that he goes on about. That's the one melody Lisa will never be able to hear, no matter how hard she tries."

* * *

The following day, Miu and Kenichi Shirahama went out to buy groceries.

"Remember when we were younger and we'd get groceries together all the time?" Miu smiled prettily. Kenichi felt the familiar aching whenever he saw her smile.

"Yeah, I was always so happy about that time together," he said softly.

"We were so close then, but now so much time has passed," she went on. She fell silent, and Kenichi watched her sad profile.

"Well, it doesn't make a real difference to me," he shrugged, facing forward. "I still have the same feelings towards you that I had when I was a teenager. You were my absolute first friend, you're my absolute best friend, and I still feel like I know you, even if I don't know about all the things that have happened since I left."

Miu smiled warmly, trying to ignore the tightening in her chest to hear him talk about her so fondly. She was glad that Kenichi hadn't changed much in the past 17 years. He was still poetic and quixotic.

They walked on and chatted mindlessly about things of very little importance, dodging the very touchy issue of their eventual romantic union.

* * *

"Uncle Shirahama! Are we really going to a private island?" Ma Kenichi panted in excitement.

"Small Kenichi, we've told you a thousand times," Sakaki grumbled. "Yes! We are going to a private island, so shut the hell up and pedal faster!"

As was the Ryouzanpaku tradition, the disciples were on their boat, pedaling the masters to the remote island. Kenichi Shirahama was nostalgic as he strapped his disciple and his rival's disciple to the boat's engine pedals.

"I remember when you guys made _me_ pedal the boat all the way to the island!" Kenichi Shirahama chuckled. "It seemed like such a big deal back then, but it's really such an easy thing to do!"

"Master," Lisa panted as she pedaled alongside Ma Kenichi. "Maybe it's… easy for masters, but… it's not easy for… disciples!"

"Maybe we should give them a break," Kenichi thought out loud. "After all, they are a lot younger than I was."

"You're not… serious," Shigure shook her head.

"Of course not!" Kenichi cackled in a brief lapse of mischief. "I did it all by myself! Lisa and Ma can get us there and back all by themselves!"

"That's the man we raised," Akisame nodded in approval.

After they arrived at the island, the two disciples, naturally, collapsed in a state of fatigue. Lisa picked herself up first and rushed into the forest with Shigure and Miu to change into their bathing suits (with Shigure and Miu on guard for a prowling Ma Kensei), while Ma Kenichi, who was accustomed to much subtler methods of body building with his other master, attempted to reclaim his soul which had escaped after his exhaustion-based death.

"You know the plan," Akisame whispered to Apachai. "Keep Kenichi busy as long as you can. We'll take the two disciples for the courage test."

"No doubt Kenichi's such a flake he didn't make her jump off a cliff," Sakaki scoffed. "And that Tanimoto kid probably doesn't think it's a big deal." Shigure, who was already quickly dressed, rejoined them.

"If Young Kenichi can't muster the courage to jump off a cliff, he's no grandson of mine," Kensei agreed.

"Lisa is probably …only tough when she… talks," Shigure went on.

"Apa! Apachai will keep Kenichi busy so kids can jump off cliff!" Apachai declared. "Miu can help!"

"Eh?" Miu questioned when she heard her name as she exited the forest in her bathing suit accompanied by Lisa.

"Let's talk to Kenichi, Miu!" Apachai bounded towards Kenichi, and Miu followed calmly with a laugh.

"Get up, kid," Sakaki mumbled to Ma Kenichi.

"Wha-"

"Come on... Lisa," Shigure tugged at the girl's arm.

Akisame, Sakaki, Shigure, and Kensei ushered the two disciples into the forest and up the cliff till they were facing the drop to the water like a forty-foot diving board. Ma Kenichi and Lisa looked on with an impressed look, Ma Kenichi with more fear than awe.

"Alright," Akisame said with anticipation. He pointed to Ma Kenichi. "Jump." Ma Kenichi just stared for a moment.

"I'm sorry," he laughed nervously. "I don't think I heard you right. You _must_ have said something that _wasn't_ life threatening! You just couldn't be that crazy!"

"Jump off the freaking cliff," Sakaki said forcefully. "You've gotta have the guts to do at least that if you're gonna enter this world of martial arts!"

"Come on, Young Kenichi," Ma Kensei encouraged. "Make me proud."

"Gramps…" Ma Kenichi suddenly felt empowered. He looked at the ground, then at the sky. He closed his eyes, feeding off of the growing anxiety and transforming it into excitement. Ma Kenichi reopened his eyes, and with a running start, launched himself off the cliff.

His eyes were wide open as he fell, which isn't the easiest thing in the world to do when the pressure of the air against your eyeballs could potentially dry them out, but as the waved rushed towards up to meet him, Ma Kenichi felt like the strongest being ever. Only in the briefest of moments just before impact did he feel the fear of drowning or dying, but he splashed into the water with only a slight sting on his face and strain on his lungs.

Shirahama Kenichi heard the splash.

He jerked his head to the cliff, his suspicions almost confirmed. He knew his masters would try something crazy like this.

Apachai shrugged. He knew that once the boy landed, Kenichi would know something was up. Apachai may be dull, but he knew what his disciple was capable of and that his mission to occupy him was in vain.

"Oh, no," Kenichi Shirahama groaned.

In their defense, the masters did not expect Lisa to jump at all. In fact, they expected her to flatly refuse to do something so stupid. After observing her behavior, this was the reaction they expected to get from her.

They did not anticipate what she actually did.

The moment the word "jump" left Akisame's mustached lips, Lisa was off the cliff. She jumped off of it, without second thoughts and without fear.

She fell hurtling down, but before impact, Shirahama Kenichi made a diving catch and received her before she could be hurt by the water below.

* * *

"Lisa can't swim," Kenichi explained. "In fact, she's never even been in a body of water big enough to swim in. She was born and raised in the center of the United States."

"So that's why her name's Lisa," Akisame acknowledged. "I was wondering why she had an American name."

"Why did she jump then?" Kensei wondered. "A fall like that could have killed her without the proper landing, and she's not the kind of idiot that wouldn't know that."

"Of course she knew the dangers," Kenichi nodded. "The reason she jumped is because Lisa is an anomaly in terms of ki."

"Does she have an abnormal amount of it or something?" Sakaki asked.

"No, it's not like that," he shook his head. "It's more like Lisa is immune to ki."

"That's not possible," Akisame corrected. "Everyone has ki, even if it's really small."

"I know, and she does have a ki," Kenichi amended. "But it doesn't affect anything she does. There are no fluctuations in her ki level when she's in battle, even when she's using the kind of technique that requires a high level of it."

"I suppose that works in vice-versa as well," Kensei noted.

"Yes, that's right," Kenichi agreed. "Ki attacks don't work on her."

"You're right; what you're describing means she's immune to ki," Akisame stroked his mustache.

"What does that have to do with-" Sakaki started.

"It mostly stems from her natural unbelievable courage," Kenichi said. "She's really not afraid of anything at all, and because of that she has no sense of self-preservation. She'll literally jump off a cliff even though she can't swim just because she's not afraid and you told her to."

"That's also kind of stupid," Sakaki pointed out.

"She saw that Ma didn't die and assumed that the same would happen in her situation," Kenichi explained. "She didn't realize that jumping into water required a kind of skill."

"That strange ki must be what I sensed when she first appeared at the dojo," Miu realized.

"I'm sure it is."

"Well, now that that's out of the way, I wanted to talk about something else," Kensei dismissed the issue. "It's about Young Kenichi."

"Is it about the fact that his sensei is Tanimoto?" Shirahama Kenichi asked.

"Yes," Kensei nodded. "Tanimoto subscribes to Satsujinken, not Katsujinken. Why did Renka, a girl of the Living Fist, let someone of the Killing Fist teach her son?"

"It's mostly because Takeda is a boxer," Kenichi admitted. "Renka wanted an heir, not a son, and the one thing she wouldn't stand was for her precious son's fists to be 'soiled by boxing' or so she put it. I already had a disciple and Tanimoto was the only other Chinese Kenpo user she trusted."

"She wasn't concerned about the Killing Fist thing?" Sakaki wondered.

"And neither was Takeda?" Miu couldn't imagine him being alright with that.

"Well, it wasn't a big deal once they realized that just because he was taught by a man of the Killing Fist, it didn't mean he would _become_ a man of the Killing Fist," Kenichi said proudly. "Tanimoto knows that he's not allowed to promote Satsujinken, and Ma Kenichi was told to tell me immediately if he ever did."

"You were the one who persuaded Renka into trusting Tanimoto, weren't you, Kenichi?" Miu smiled knowingly. The other masters glanced from Miu to Kenichi in surprise. Kenichi nodded. "I can tell. You'll really never give up on him, huh? I can relate."

"Yeah, well," He laughed. "I know that he's a really good guy deep inside. Not everyone in Satsujinken is a bad person. Kanou Shou is proof of that."

"You're right," Miu nodded and turned to Kensei. "Don't worry. I think Kenichi made the right decision."

"Well, if you say so," Kensei pouted. "But I'm teaching him all the Kenpo I can while he's here, you hear me?!"

"That's fine," Kenichi chuckled. "I've got my hands full with Lisa."

* * *

That night, Ma Kenichi spoke with Shirahama Kenichi in private.

"Uncle Shirahama," he choked. "D-does Tani-sensei not want me? Am I just a bad disciple? Please tell me the truth, because it's been eating me up ever since he left, and-"

"He didn't leave because you're a bad disciple," Kenichi shook his head. "And whether you are one or not, I don't know. I'm pretty sure Tanimoto wanted you to enjoy your time here. He knows how fond you are of Lisa, and you don't get to see her often. Plus, this is your first chance to go to a real school instead of always being home-schooled."

"I know Tani-sensei's nice, but he wouldn't make me stay just for that," Ma Kenichi disagreed.

"You know, Ma," Kenichi Shirahama said. "Tanimoto was an orphan since he was very young, so he knows the value of having a family."

"What does that have to do with this?"

"Do you think it's a coincidense that he left you where your grandfather is?"


	3. Mamihlapinatapei

Chapter 3:

_Mamihlapinatapei_

* * *

True to their word, Siegfried and Ma Kensei enrolled the two disciples into the middle school, and they were to begin as soon as the new semester started.

In the meantime, Lisa and Ma Kenichi's lives were consumed by training, training, and more training.

"Lisa, dodge this one," Kenichi said during Muay Thai sparring. "I'll be going a little faster than you, so make sure you make the right decision. I recommend you go to the right."

"Yes, master-" Lisa didn't have time to finish responding when Kenichi struck.

As he'd recommended, Lisa dodged to the right, but something was wrong! Kenichi's attack was with the right side! With that side, it was easy to continue tracking her to get her if she was to the right, even if she dodged!

Kenichi's attack made impact. She was sent flying backwards and she landed on her back with her legs sprawled.

Ma Kensei turned from his grandson's training and took a quick picture.

"Come on, Lisa, if you'd paid attention, you would've known which way to dodge," Kenichi reminded her as she struggled to her feet.

"B-but you told me to go right!" she grunted.

"No, it was a recommendation," Kenichi shrugged. "It doesn't mean it was the best option. You need to evaluate everything on your own in a fight. Don't take someone else's word for gospel."

"Yes, sir," Lisa took a deep breath. "Let's go on."

"Sure thing," Kenichi smiled.

* * *

Tanimoto stopped at the run-down building that had been indicated on Ma Kensei's map.

He walked in, quickly disposing of the gang-member guards at the door. He stepped over their unconscious bodies as he knocked down the door and entered.

"What do you think you're doing?" the gang leader demanded from within the edifice. "Do you even know who you're messing with, old man?"

"You kids don't know the first thing about gangs," Tanimoto shook his head. "Yomi and Ragnarok were at a way higher level than this lame-ass shit-heap, but I guess that makes sense. Ogata-san wouldn't make a group full of trash like this."

"What are you babbling about, geezer?" another gang member snapped. "You wanna go?"

Tanimoto clenched his fists.

"You shitty brats destroyed a dojo, and you killed Kisara Nanjo and some alien spawn a couple years back," he said. "Let's call this… justice."

* * *

"Come on, Lisa!" Tanimoto's disciple, Ma Kenichi, ran into the streets with his friend. "We don't get breaks often! We should go to the park to play!"

"You don't understand the concept of a break, do you?" Lisa was envious of his boundless energy. "If you have so much energy, why don't you use it to train?"

"Dad always said to take it easy every once in a while," he said jollily. "Stop and smell the roses whenever you've got the chance, but never forget that you're the gardener! That's what my dad always said to me!"

"Hm. That's in direct conflict with what my mother tells me," Lisa observed. "But we'll do things your way for now."

The two disciples went to the park as promised and sat on a bench to breathe in the fresh air.

"It's so nice to be staying in one place for a while, don't you think?" Ma Kenichi exhaled grandly. "The last time we sat on a park bench together was in Germany three years ago! Remember that?"

"Yes," Lisa agreed. "I've always loved parks. The trees, the people, and the wind all harmonize together like a grand orchestra. It's very peaceful." Ma Kenichi blinked.

"It's hard to believe that you're younger than me sometimes," he complained. "Sometimes I think Mom would've liked you better as an heir than me."

"She just wants you to be harder working," Lisa said. "My father is the same, but the other way around. He thinks I'm too uptight, but he should know that my mother taught me to be that way."

"I don't think it's about what your mom taught you," Ma Kenichi laughed. "It's your mom's blood! In fact, it's both of your parents' blood that makes up the perfect disciple you are!"

"If I was a perfect disciple I would be a master already," Lisa said bluntly. Ma Kenichi laughed even louder, leaving Lisa to wonder what exactly she'd said to cause her best friend to be so happy.

"Speaking of masters, those Ryouzanpaku guys are really somethin', huh?" Ma Kenichi remembered.

"Ah, yes," Lisa sat up straighter. "They are all very respectable masters. The strongest in the world are allowed to be a little eccentric, clearly."

"Yeah! What were they thinking, making you jump off a cliff like that?" Ma Kenichi frowned. "That was horrible!"

"It was just a courage test," Lisa shrugged. "If I couldn't do at least that-"

"You could have died," Ma Kenichi snapped. "Listen to me, Lisa. Never endanger yourself like that."

"How was I supposed to know-"

"Just… when you can see that there's danger, don't do it!" he searched for the right words.

"How do I know when there's danger?"

"_You jumped off a forty-foot-high cliff_," Ma Kenichi was exasperated. "_Even with water below, that was dangerous_!"

"Eh? That was dangerous?"

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama didn't know what to do.

He stood frozen at the door to his room. His cheeks were filled in a permanent blush and his arms were stiff at his side.

Apachai and Shigure were hanging out with Honoka.

Akisame was selling some of his sculptures.

Ma Kensei was in his clinic.

Sakaki was at the horse races.

Miu was still at home.

Kenichi Shirahama was still at home.

Miu and Kenichi were home alone.

_Come on, man! _Kenichi thought. They were adults, and still he was blushing like a little school boy! It was time to man up!

He should say something to her. Maybe he could offer to help her with the cleaning or cooking. Or he could offer to spar.

"Kenichi? What are you doing?" Miu asked from behind him.

"Wah! I'm fine, thanks!" Kenichi jumped a foot in the air. It was no use! He was still a child at heart! "Oh, uh, nothing. What about you? Anything I can help you with?"

"Oh, I'm just about done," Miu giggled. "You always get like this when we're alone. It's almost like you think you're not allowed to do anything even though you live here!"

"I-I'm allowed to do things?!" Kenichi blurted. They stared at each other in awkwardness.

"Ahem," Miu cleared her throat. "About your travels—will you tell me about how Freya and Takeda and Renka are? I haven't seen any of them since they left; they don't exactly visit often!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure Takeda and Renka are in a spat," Kenichi was comfortable with this topic. "Takeda is whipped by Renka, which is to be expected of the master of the Phoenix Alliance. They've got one of those awkward relationships where they feel really strongly about each other but they're not sure what it is."

"That's so sweet," Miu sighed with a smile. "I'm glad Takeda found someone, though. He was really heartbroken when I turned him down."

"H-he confessed?"

"Yeah, not long after you left," Miu nodded. "He said he knew I'd reject him, but he couldn't help hoping he stood a better chance now that you weren't there to interfere."

"O-oh," Kenichi inhaled sharply and held it.

"W-what about Freya?" Miu asked, suddenly embarassed.

"She lives in America, like I told you," Kenichi started. "She's got a great job; I think she's considered wealthy in the U.S. and she still practices martial arts on the side. She lives there with her son, and-"

"Son? I thought Lisa was her only child," Miu asked in surprise.

"No, they have a 2-year-old son as well," Kenichi corrected her. "But Freya hasn't told Siegfried because he's been working on a symphony and she doesn't want him to be distracted."

"Siegfried doesn't know that he has a son?!" Miu shrieked. "That's horrible!"

"I agree," Kenichi shrugged.

"But the extra boost from the melody of fatherhood would help him finish it!" Miu felt enraged. "We need to tell him!"

"I think it would be a bad idea if we were the ones to tell him," Kenichi pointed out. "And I wasn't even supposed to tell you that, so if Freya finds out she'll kill me."

"B-but…" Miu sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Oh! Hey!" Kenichi recalled, his whole face lighting up. "You know how I dreamed to someday be a novelist? Well, I'm now officially a published author!"

"What? That's great! What's it about? What's it called?" Miu beamed with pride and enthusiasm. "Tell!"

"Well, at first I wanted to write a 'how to' book, like the ones I read," Kenichi explained. "But then I realized that I didn't know how to do anything other than martial arts! So I decided to write a fiction book about a loser who becomes a great martial artist."

"That's like your real life!" Miu smiled widely. "Does that mean that I'm in it?"

"Of course! You were my inspiration!" Kenichi enthused. "You're also who the book is dedicated to in the front flap."

"R-really?" Miu looked touched. She placed her hand on her chest and held back the tears rushing to her eyes. "Th-this is your lifelong dream and you dedicated it to me? That's… thank you, Kenichi."

"No problem," Kenichi smiled. Then he blushed again as he recalled what Miu's lifelong dream was:

She wanted to become a beautiful wife.

"Yeah, obviously mine hasn't come true yet," Miu laughed. "But I'm hoping that it will soon." Kenichi took a deep breath.

He grabbed each of Miu's arms and looked into her eyes intently.

"Miu, I can protect you now, even if you don't need protecting," Kenichi said. "That's been my most important dream for so long it's practically part of my identity, and I want you to know that I still feel those powerful emotions towards you as I did in high school."

"K-Kenichi," Miu gasped, heat rising to her cheeks. "I…I-"

"I think I've made you wait much too long as it is," Kenichi said seriously. "Miu, I love you."

Miu smiled to herself and let the tears tumble down her cheeks in streams.

"Me, too."

Their faces grew closer until they could feel each other's breath. Their eyes slowly closed.

"Ken-sensei!" Lisa's voice sounded from the dojo's doors.

"Uncle Shirahama-a-a-a!" Ma Kenichi wailed. "Miu-san! We're home!"

"It's time to resume training!"

"Hells no, let's eat!" Ma Kenichi objected.

Kenichi Shirahama and Miu leapt away from each other, Kenichi entering his room and Miu resuming cleaning so quickly that the disciples could never know what had just transpired.


	4. Ahimsa

Chapter 4

Ahimsa

* * *

Author's Note: I find it necessary to thank all the people who have read the first few chapters, and especially the select few who have reviewed it. I am grateful to you all and hope my writing reflects your guidance.

-JubJub

* * *

"So you confessed to Miu," Niijima summed up. "But you didn't ask her out or anything so it's really awkward."

"Yep," Kenichi Shirahama nodded anxiously. "So… what do I do?"

"Why'd ya pull such a dumbass move anyways?" Sakaki asked.

"I agree that it does seem to defy logic," Akisame stated. "After all, what were your intentions in confessing if you weren't going to ask her anything?"

"I was going to, but then the kids interrupted," Kenichi said, scratching his head.

"Like hell," Sakaki snorted. "You would've been too shy anyways!"

"This is coming from a married man," Niijima stroked his mustache. "But _I_ think you should give up and propose to her already!"

"M-marriage?!"

"Yeah! She reciprocated your feelings anyways, right? So just ask her to marry you!" Niijima grinned. "After all, you two are a lot farther along than me and Izumi were. I first told her I loved her long after we were engaged!"

"That's just you being a bad fiancé," Akisame pointed out.

"What kind of idiot are you?!" Kenichi shrieked, slapping Niijima weakly. Even so, Niijima flew backwards several yards. "I can't propose to her! That would be terrible! Tell him, Akisame-sensei! Tell 'em, Sakaki-sensei! I can't do that!"

"Why not?" Sakaki shrugged. "You guys act married anyways. You might as well make it official."

"You've been in love with her practically since you met her," Akisame opined. "This is just my view on it, but you seem to be underestimating your feelings for each other. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all."

"I can't," Kenichi objected weakly. "I can't do it!"

"Why not?" Niijima demanded.

"I just can't!" he cried out and ran away yelling in panic.

* * *

"Why… not?" Shigure, hanging from the ceiling, asked Miu, who was washing dishes in the kitchen.

"Apachai does not think marrying Kenichi would be so bad!" Apachai remarked.

"It's not that it would be _bad_," Miu chattered anxiously. "It's just… I'm not sure if we should! Grandfather always said that we weren't allowed to be together until Kenichi becomes stronger than him!"

"Then… test him," Shigure suggested.

"Apa! We could all attack him at the same time!" Apachai agreed. "And then we can judge him."

"I'm not sure if Kenichi thinks that too!" Miu explained. "He might think that because Grandfather is dead, we can just be together without his test. But the truth is, I kind of want him to pass the test first!"

"There's no way to test him properly," Tanimoto said from the window.

"Tanimoto?" Miu was surprised to see him back so quickly.

"Hey, don't speak so loud or my disciple will hear you!" Tanimoto snapped at her. Then his face switched to awkwardness. "I just came back to… uh… get some food because I… ran out of money."

"I'll get you some," Miu answered promptly. "And if you don't mind me asking, what did you mean when you said he can't be tested?" She rushed to the refrigerator and immediately began to prepare several days' worth of food for the martial artist.

"Well, Shirahama is extremely strong," Tanimoto said matter-of-factly. "But how can you measure if he's as strong as Hayato Fuurinji was? And at what part of the man's life? When Kenichi knew him or at his peak?"

"It's not possible," Shigure agreed. "You can't … determine it."

"So what do I do?" Miu whined. "And what do I do if Kenichi proposes to me?" She quickly handed him the parcels of food.

"How am I supposed to know?" Tanimoto scoffed. "It's not like I'm married or dating anyone-"

"Na-a-acha-a-an!" the voice of a young woman sounded from outside the gates. "Na-chan, are you here? I can't find you!"

"Dammit," Natsu Tanimoto mumbled. "Honoka's looking for me. I'd best be off."

"Honoka? She's here?" Miu asked excitedly. She hopped out the window nimbly, unavoidably shoving Tanimoto out of the way.

"Ah! Miu-san!" Honoka, who'd grown out of addressing Miu as big-boobs, called when she came into views. "Have you see Na-chan? I can't find him anywhere!"

"Oh, he's right here!" Miu grabbed Tanimoto's collar and dragged him into view.

"You… you betray me!" Tanimoto hissed at Miu, who smiled widely at the girl.

Actually, Honoka was no longer a girl. She was but three years younger than Kenichi, meaning she was in her early 30s/late 20s. Maturity had never really infected her, and she always retained her child-like liveliness. The influence of Ryouzanpaku women on her was easily notable by her _basic_ self-defense skills and her enormous set of breasts, which seemed to be a trait that the dojo bestowed upon its women.

"Na-chan, I can't believe you would abandon me back there," she pouted, rushing over to his side and grabbing his arm. "You've been here for a couple of days now, and you haven't even said hello to me! I had to track you down here!"

"That's horrible, Tanimoto!" Miu gasped. "You didn't even greet Honoka?"

"I knew she would make a big deal about it if I did," he mumbled in embarrassment. "But I guess she's making a bigger deal that I didn't."

"Come on! I'm a lot better a cooking now, so I'll cook you a meal!" Honoka babbled, dragging a protesting Tanimoto behind her.

"Miu already gave me food-"

"Oh, I can just use that for tonight's dinner!" Miu plucked the parcels of food from Tanimoto hands. "Go out and have fun!"

"You traitor!" Tanimoto called behind him as a cackling Honoka led him away.

* * *

Lisa sighed and rested her head in her hand.

She was bored. This was not typical for the disciple of Kenichi Shirahama, as he was very keen on excessive, constant, and vigorous training. However, being home definitely distracted her whimsical master and she was forced to take most of her training into her own hands.

This wasn't possible. Aside from the usual conditioning, which in truth she could do on her own, her technique training she could not teach herself. The only thing she could hope for was her friend Ma Kenichi's guidance in teaching her some techniques in Chinese Kenpo, but that was not the only martial art she was training in.

She'd practiced the techniques that she's already mastered as to not allow them to become dull.

Lisa glanced around the park. Ma Kenichi was back at the dojo learning from his grandfather while Kenichi Shirahama complained about his love problems with his friends and masters. She was alone with trees and silence.

Silence is renowned for poking around memories. For Lisa, it unearthed her younger days in America:

...

"_What are you doing, Lisa?" her mother asked in English, her Japanese accent still thick._

"_I found a mouse stuck in the trap!" Lisa looked up. "But it wasn't dead!" Lisa responded in Japanese with an American accent. They each practiced the language they were least familiar with, despite being fluent in both._

"_Did you let it go?" Freya's hair was a lot longer than it was in her teen years, and it now extended to her collarbone. Lisa blinked her large, blue eyes._

"_No," she answered. "It was being really noisy, so I cut it open."_

"_What?" Freya grabbed Lisa's wrist and pulled her back sharply to observe the mouse's dead carcass. The young girl had dissected the poor creature._

"_What's wrong, Mommy?" Lisa asked._

"_Lisa, darling, you must _never _kill something," Freya said harshly. Lisa didn't feel Freya's ki, but the intensity of the words themselves was uncharacteristic of her typically mild mother._

"_Why not?"_

"_You must always value life above all else," she explained sternly. "Even this mouse deserved to live. Do you understand?"_

"_No. I don't get it," Lisa was confused. "If they aren't worth anything, why save them?"_

"_But it _is_ worth something," Freya explained. "And how would you like it if someone thought _you_ were worthless and tried to kill you?"_

"_That's why I'm training with Kenichi-sama," Lisa recalled. "So I can protect myself."_

"_Lisa," Freya eyed her daughter with finality._

"_I promise I will never kill," Lisa repeated obediently._

_..._

"I promise I will never kill," Lisa repeated the words obediently. She still didn't understand the reason behind them.

* * *

Author's note: **I forgot to mention that if you want to know what Lisa and Ma Kenichi look like, the fic's cover has them both on it. There's a bigger version of it in my deviantart gallery (username CountingStarDust) in case you want to see.**

**Also I've been lucky to have the time to write virtually a chapter a day as of late, but I fear that said luck will soon come to an end. I will almost certainly need to shift my production rate to once a week. 'Tis unfortunate, but entirely necessary should I wish to avoid disappointing anyone who expects anything sooner.**

**Recap: Deviantart gallery. I'm now weekly.**

**That is all.**

**Thank you.**

**-JubJub**


	5. Daniti

Chapter5

Daniti

* * *

"Right through here," Ma Kensei whispered harshly to his grandson. "We'll sneak in here, then around the thicket on the other side to avoid the worst of the traps."

"Are you sure we should do something so dangerous?" Ma Kenichi asked anxiously. "What if we're found out?"

"Don't worry," Kensei waved it away. "I've been doing this for years! Even if we're caught, they'll only beat us a little bit and send us on our way."

"I don't know," Ma Kenichi scratched his face. "They seem pretty violent to me."

"Lisa's in the hot springs too, you know," Ma Kensei said. "I won't be going for _her_ until she'd older, but I'm just saying."

"L-Lisa?" Ma Kenichi widened his green eyes.

Ma Kensei was taking his grandson on his first time peeking in the woman's hot springs. To Kensei, this was practically an initiation ceremony for any young man that came to the dojo, and he was very excited to have another Kenichi to peek with. Now that Kenichi Shirahama was worried about his love life, he wouldn't be coming out to the springs with him.

Ma Kenichi had gained newly-found fervor in their endeavors. He blushed furiously as they continued to army-crawl through the forest, just as Ma Kensei had done with the previous Kenichi. As always, Kensei found a way to manipulate the boy.

"I knew it!" a loud, familiar voice boomed behind them. "I knew you'd try to take Ma to the springs!"

"Uncle Shirahama!" Ma Kenichi shrieked in panic. "Agh! Forgive us! Please!"

"Oh, Ken-chan, did you want to join us?" Kensei asked calmly. Both Kenichi's blushed.

"N-no way, of course not!" Kenichi Shirahama answered haltingly. "I've long since grown out of that, old man! I am _not_ going to peep!"

"Miu's in there," Kensei said simply.

"Even worse!" Kenichi raged. "I don't want you guys looking at Miu, so get on to bed. Plus, isn't Lisa in there? Why would you want to see Lisa, Ma-sensei?"

"Oh, Lisa is for Young Kenichi," Kensei patted his grandson's shoulder who shook his head violently to stop him. "He's found himself a target! Aren't you so proud?"

"No! Uncle Shirahama is really protective of her-"

"What?! I will not have you spying on my disciple, Ma!" Kenichi further fumed at the two. "You are much too young for this! You are 13 years old!"

"Actually, I'm 14," Ma Kenichi corrected.

"Even worse! You should know better!" Kenichi Shirahama plucked the boy off the ground by the ear, suspending him in the air with two fingers pinched around it. "Off to bed for you! And you, Ma-sensei… I can't exactly _force_ you to go to bed, now can I?"

"No, I suppose you can't," Kensei grinned mischievously and returned to his crawling, glad that at least his disciple didn't stop him.

Shirahama Kenichi turned away and walked back to the dojo with Ma Kenichi in his fingers.

* * *

"Hey, Lisa!" Sakaki called gruffly. "Do you punch like Kenichi used to?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," the girl put her hat down, assuming that she was going to receive a lesson.

"Well, when Kenichi was a disciple of ours, he started out punching at the post as if it were… well, a post," he explained. "But you're actually supposed to punch it like it's a person you're attacking!"

"I don't punch like that," Lisa said simply.

"Well, let's see," Sakaki gestured for her to punch the post.

Lisa nodded. She took up her punching stance and took a deep breath. She drew back her fist and prepared to punch.

She struck the post. Her fist made contact, and a powerful shock wave reverberated along it. The post even cracked, which had taken Kenichi a much longer time to accomplish.

Akisame, Miu, and Sakaki (the only masters present at the time) glanced over in surprise and slight concern.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" Kenichi Shirahama asked, happening upon the scene. "Ah! Lisa, are you training?"

"She cracked the pole, Kenichi," Akisame reported. "Remember when you did it? It took you much longer."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Kenichi groaned.

"Master," Lisa rushed up to him. "Can you teach me some techniques now? I've been doing nothing but conditioning and review for the past week, and before that a month."

"You've got to keep up with her, Kenichi-san!" Miu pointed out to him. "She's mastering the techniques a lot faster than you predicted!" She blushed and froze. When she spoke next, her words were clipped. "At least, that's what I think! Do what you want; she's your disciple!"

"Y-yes," Kenichi nodded stiffly, also blushing violently. "I'll concentrate more on my disciple."

"What will you teach me today, master?" Lisa asked, uncharacteristically thrilled.

"This one might keep you busy for a while," Kenichi admitted. "Not because it's hard, but… well, you'll see. This technique I invented myself and it's called Mubyoshi."

He went through the motions and explained to her when the technique was to be used, as well as the fundamentals of its lack of tempo, thereby making it unreadable.

Lisa quivered in excitement. She was about to learn one of her master's personal techniques! It was the most amazing thing ever!

"Go ahead and try it out," Kenichi encouraged. She nodded, calming herself down.

Lisa eyed the post. She blinked slowly and took deep breaths.

_I have to lose my tempo and become unreadable_, she thought. _I have to lose my melody_.

She opened her eyes abruptly and started going forward. She knew from the moment she stepped forward that something was wrong, but she went on anyways. Lisa attempted the attack, but it ended up completely wrong. Her Mubyoshi had no strength and the pole barely bounced away from her fist.

"Okay, so-"

"Let me try it again first, master," Lisa insisted, already resuming her stance. She struck forward, but the result was the same. Kenichi tried to speak once more, but was again interrupted by his disciple. "One more time!"

She tried again and failed again.

"Lisa, stop."

Failed.

"Lisa, cut it out. Let me-"

Failed.

"Lisa! Let me tell you what you're doing wrong!" Kenichi raised his voice slightly to catch her notice. Lisa turned completely to attention immediately, and her gaze demanded more instruction.

"Please tell me, Ken-sensei," Lisa said.

"Okay," Kenichi sighed and rubbed his neck. "I like your effort, but let's calm down. This isn't something you can rush. Techniques are mastered through practice and time."

"Yes sir," Lisa answered mechanically.

"Okay," Kenichi repeated. He took up his stance. "When you do this technique, you can't be yourself. You have to lose yourself in Mubyoshi. Your whole rhythm has to completely disappear. Nothing you do will make sense, even to you, but it all has a purpose, and that is Mubyoshi."

"I heard you the first time," Lisa reminded him. "But my question is, master, what am I doing wrong?"

"Everything but form," Kenichi answered simply. "You're tempo became even more defined than it was before. It's as if you concentrated on the rigidity of your rhythm instead of losing it. It's not about concentration; you have to be relaxed."

"I'll keep trying till I get it right," Lisa answered.

"I know you will," Kenichi smiled with affection. "I'm going into town. I'll be back in the evening to check how you're doing."

"Yes sir," Lisa smiled with delight at the new technique. "Thank you, sir!"

* * *

Tanimoto stretched his arms, trying in vain to keep in a yawn.

_Alone at last_, he thought to himself. Honoka had finally stopped pestering him about eating over at her apartment (mostly because he relented) and he was rid of that troublesome disciple of his. _What was his name again?_ Tanimoto shrugged and closed his eyes in complete leisure.

He quickly snapped his eyes open. A ki was nearby; _a relatively large one, but not a match for me,_ Tanimoto thought smugly.

"Hermit," a man's voice called from the darkness eerily.

Tanimoto, who enjoyed being underestimated before he crushed his opponents, jolted in faux surprise.

"Who's there?" he demanded with cautious laziness.

"You don't remember my voice? I suppose we've both aged some," he noted.

The owner of the voice stepped out from the shadows. Tanimoto expected not to recognize this mysterious man, but he was surprised to find that he knew him immediately and without doubt.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"What a nice way to greet old friends," he pushed up his glasses, the familiar teasing smile, so small it could hardly be seen, seated comfortably and unmistakably on his lips. He brushed his white hair out of his face.

"What do you want?" Tanimoto said again, more forcefully. "I'm not in the mood to deal with old rivals, so tell me what you want and get out of here."

"I've joined a group called Yoake (夜明け)," he started. "I assume you've hear of it."

"Only rumors," Tanimoto admitted, suddenly suspecting where this conversation was headed. "What is it?"

"Yoake, in other words 'Dawn,' is a group made by members of Satsujinken," he explained. "It was formed to take an aggressive stance in converting members of the Living Fist into the Killing Fist."

"So you're basically an organization of assassin's trainers?" Tanimoto nodded in understanding. "I guess that's all they could think to do after Satsujinken failed to take down Ryouzanpaku."

"Couldn't be helped," the myopic man admitted. "And don't act like you're not Satsujinken, Hermit."

"I'm not a part of anything," Tanimoto turned away from him.

"That's why I'm here," he said. "You're a valuable Satsujinken master and you have a Katsujinken disciple. If you joined, we could have him converted."

"That could potentially start us at war with the Phoenix Alliance," Tanimoto noted. "And that's more Chinese people than I want to deal with."

"The Phoenix Alliance? That is a problem," the man nodded pensively. "But I'm sure we could manage it."

"This Yoake thing," Tanimoto said. "Anyone else in it?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Some of the other ex-Yomi members are in it, too. Tirawit Kokin and Atlantae are core members, like me. You would be as well if you decide to join us." The man pushed up his glasses once more and turned to leave.

"Odin, why are you able to walk again?" Tanimoto blurted out in curiosity.

"Oh, that?" Ryuto Asamiya stopped. He glanced back briefly, his white hair swishing slightly with the sudden movement. "Let's just say I owe Kenichi my life as a martial artist."

Leaving it at that, the former 1st first of Ragnarok and disciple to Isshinsai Ogata took off at speeds that could only belong to a master.

* * *

"Lisa, I'm back!" Kenichi Shirahama called when he returned from his meandering. "How are you doing?"

"M-Master," Lisa panted uncontrollably from the same spot he'd left her. She was a wreck. Her hat and vest were long gone and her fists were bleeding profusely. "I can't seem… to get it yet."

"Lisa!" Kenichi shrieked and rushed to her, landing beside her in one leap. "Why do you look so exhausted? How many times did you take a break?"

"N-not… once," she swallowed.

"You stupid disciple!" Kenichi wailed. "Miu, could you pretty please bring Lisa a cold drink? She's dehydrated!"

"Really?! I'll be right there!" Miu wailed her panicked reply.

"I like that you work so hard, but you shouldn't kill yourself! You know, water is the most vital thing next to air! You better go take a bath, too, or you'll be sweaty at dinner. Watch out for any people of the Ma family though, because both Kensei and young Ma Kenichi seem to have problems staying away, and-"

"Master!" Lisa gasped out, her breathing slowing but not entirely back to normal. "Did… you not hear me?"

"Did you say something?"

"I haven't mastered the technique!" she reminded him. "I don't know Mubyoshi!"

"Oh, that!" Kenichi waved it away. "I didn't expect you to get it in one day. Do you know what the problem is, though?"

"I think so," Lisa looked down. "I'm too attached to my melody, aren't I?"

"Yes," Kenichi nodded. "You are like your father in that your melody is extremely precious to you. In fact, you may end up never giving it up and never learn Mubyoshi at all, but that's fine too. You need to find a technique that suits you and your style."

"Okay," Lisa's face twisted and tears swelled into her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I wanted so badly to master it," Lisa admitted. "I wanted to learn Ken-sensei's Mubyoshi, the first technique he invented himself." Kenichi blushed at the small girl's concern.

"Lisa…" Kenichi trailed off. He sniffed back sentimental tears. "It's okay, Lisa! You can try the Mubyoshi a bit after conditioning for the next week or so, but if you haven't got it we'll drop it for a while. Cool?"

"Yes," Lisa, now reassured, agreed.

"By the way, your school semester starts tomorrow," Kenichi reminded her.

"T-tomorrow?" she was taken aback.

"Yes! We'll work around your schooling, so don't skip class to go off training, got it?"

"No-o-o-o!"


	6. Agathocacological

Chapter6

Agathocacological

* * *

"Did you hear?" The students whispered in excitement. "Foreign exchange students!"

"I heard one of them is from China!"

"One's American, I think."

"Girls or boys?"

"One of each."

"They've both got Japanese blood."

"But this is their first time in Japan!"

"Everyone be nice to them."

"I hope the girl is cute!"

"I wonder if the guy likes baseball!"

"I can't wait to meet our new classmates!"

* * *

It was their first day of public middle school.

Ma Kenichi felt morally obliged to walk Lisa to her class that day. Lisa was now apathetic to the ordeal of going to school, but she knew Ma Kenichi needed to feel assured that she was alright and allowed the escort.

As they walked down the hallways in their uniforms, their training made them acutely aware of every student that ogled them. It was perfectly clear that Ma Kenichi was half Chinese, and Lisa's manner of walking and bold gestures suggested her American-ness as well.

Curious whispers weaved through the students.

"Good luck, Lisa," Ma Kenichi waved to her and left to his class, which was on a completely different building floor because he was a 3rd year and she was a 2nd year.

She nodded silently. She wasn't thinking about Ma Kenichi. She wasn't even thinking about herself or her classmates or school work. As always, she was concentrated on her training. She thought about Mubyoshi and her training schedule and Ken-sensei.

Lisa ignored the gaping students and took a seat. She only thought about making herself stronger.

* * *

"Class, this is Ma Kenichi," the teacher introduced. "He is a foreign exchange student, but he knows Japanese fluently so don't go easy on him!"

"Please take care of me," Ma Kenichi grinned charmingly, just as his father would have. Many of the girls in the class were already dazzled by his charismatic green eyes, a gift from his mother's genes.

As expected, the morning classes went without a hitch. During lunch, the questions came and many of the students crowded his desk.

"So this is you're first time in Japan," a male classmate started to ask. "Have you been anywhere besides China?"

"Oh, of course," Ma Kenichi nodded. "I've been to England, Mexico, Russia, America, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, Switzerland, and… I can't even remember them all!"

"Wow!" a girl marveled. "So do you, like, know all their languages?"

"Not all," Ma Kenichi smiled. "I speak Japanese, Mandarin, English, and Mexican Spanish, but I'm only fluent in Japanese and Mandarin."

"Do you play any sports?" another guy asked. "Baseball is really big here!"

"I'm not bad at baseball, but I'm a better swimmer," Ma Kenichi answered seamlessly. "I guess my real sport is Chinese Kenpo!"

"Y-you're a martial artist?" the other students suddenly looked afraid. Whispers erupted throughout the classroom. Ma Kenichi, who was impossibly dense, went on babbling.

"Yep!" Ma Kenichi beamed. "That's why I was traveling a lot! I was training with the best master in the world!"

"O-oh," some of them looked around awkwardly. They murmured among themselves, not sure what to do or to make of the comment.

"You idiots give me a headache!" a girl's voice sounded from beyond the crowd. The students immediately parted to reveal the class president walking towards them.

Tomoko Tsubasa, the class president, was a harsh and over-achieving girl with a glare just as sharp as her tongue. She strode over to Ma Kenichi's desk with an air of importance but not arrogance, her short hair bobbing as she walked.

"No one has even _tried_ to explain the rule to him!" Tsubasa snapped at the students. They looked down guiltily. "Anyways, if you don't start eating soon, you won't have enough time for your lunch, and you can't eat during class!"

The students scattered and took their seats in small friendly groups, where they chatted easily with each other as they ate.

"You're Ma Kenichi, right?" Tsubasa turned to him and asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Ma Kenichi subconsciously spoke formally to her. "Can I ask what you were talking about the rule?"

"Ah, I was about to," Tsubasa nodded. "Listen closely, because this school has zero tolerance for breaking it."

* * *

Of course, a ruckus was made during Lisa's lunch as well, but all the girls completely ignored her and went on with their conversations as normal. They didn't even notice the few boys that traipsed over to Lisa's desk.

"Look at her hair color!" they sneered, tugging the back of her head. Lisa flicked his hand off. "Why is it silver? Are you some kind of delinquent?"

"No," she answered simply. "It's natural."

"We should speak slower to her," another said sarcastically. "She's an American! She probably doesn't know Japanese as well!"

"He-e-ell-o-o-o!" a boy drawled exaggeratedly. "Can you un-der-stand me-e?"

"Yes," she responded simply again. She'd now finished her lunch and put her bento box away.

"God, she's so stiff!" someone called.

"Yeah! She's like a robot!" they all laughed obnoxiously at this. "Or maybe an alien!"

"What planet do you hail from, strange creature!" one teased.

"Alien! Lisa's an alien!"

Lisa daydreamed about her training.

* * *

"It feels kind of empty around here without those kids runnin' around, doesn't it?" Sakaki asked back at Ryouzanpaku that day.

"Don't tell me you're attached to them already," Akisame looked up from his stone carving.

"You… softie," Shigure hung down from the ceiling.

"I agree with Sakaki! I miss Young Kenichi!" Ma Kensei exclaimed in longing for his grandson. "He'll only be here so long, and Ken-chan made me enroll him in school!"

"It's for his own good," Miu pointed out. "He needs an education!"

"I hope Lisa doesn't get picked on," Kenichi Shirahama paced the dojo. "It's definitely no fun to get bullied in school. What if she gets harassed and depressed and runs away and commits suicide and it's all my fault? Maybe I shouldn't have made her go to school!"

"We should withdraw them both from school!" Kensei offered.

"Education is not optional," Akisame countered. "Kenichi, you have to stand by what you said to Lisa when they were enrolled. They need a strong body, heart, and mind in order to train under worthy masters, right?"

"Children need school!" Apachai agreed. "Apachai thinks Lisa and Baby Kenichi need child friends!"

"That's true!" Miu turned to Kenichi Shirahama. "You and I both know that having no friends isn't fun either."

"Okay," Kenichi sighed. "I guess I'll need to stop worrying."

"Why don't you guys go out or something?" Akisame offered. "Miu, you're almost finished for the day, right? Shigure can make some ramen for dinner while you're away."

"I need to… practice cooking," Shigure, who'd learned basic recipes from Miu, said. Touchumaru nodded in accordance.

"G-go out?" Kenichi blushed fervently.

"It'll take your mind off of things," Sakaki agreed. "And Miu hasn't had a break in a long time, especially since you showed up with the brats."

"I don't mind taking care of them," Miu argued. She then blushed as well and smiled at Kenichi bashfully. "B-but if you don't mind, I would like to go out."

"Sure," Kenichi choked out, managing a smile. "W-we can go." Kensei grabbed Kenichi's arm and pulled him down to whisper in his ear.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Kensei, the infamous pervert, whispered.

"I have absolutely no comment to that," Kenichi responded.

* * *

"What?" Ma Kenichi yelled.

"Well, a long time ago (before we were even born), the town was overrun by a gang called Ragnarok," Tsubasa explained. "Lot's of the people in town got really paranoid, and a few years after it was disbanded, every public school in this area forbade the practicing of martial arts. That means your Chinese Kenpo is illegal in this school."

"But what about self defense?" Ma Kenichi objected. "Can't we defend ourselves?"

"Unfortunately that's not allowed either," Tsubasa went on. "However, our student council is completely made up of students who are allowed to use their martial arts to discipline other students who are out of line."

"So… we can't use martial arts here?" Ma Kenichi was still in shock. Martial arts were his life! How could he be prohibited from living?

"You're not very bright, are you?" Tsubasa asked irritably. "I've told you three times now. You can't use it."

"What if we ignore the rule?" he asked. "What happens?"

"On your first offense, you'll be suspended," Tsubasa suspected that Ma Kenichi was predicting he'd fight. "On your second offense, expulsion. No excuses or exceptions."

"I hope Lisa doesn't get into any fights before I can warn her," Ma Kenichi rubbed his chin.

"If you don't mind me asking, is she a relative of yours?" Tsubasa asked.

"No, she's… a childhood friend, you could say," he explained. "She's also a martial artist, but she might not know about the rule. I hope she doesn't attack anyone today."

_You hope she doesn't attack anyone?_ Tsubasa thought. _What is that supposed to mean?_

* * *

The end of the day came, and Lisa was the first out of the classroom. She hoped Ma Kenichi didn't take too long, because she wanted to get directly to her training.

She planned to find Ma Kenichi to hasten his departure and found a stairway to get to the next floor.

This particular stairway wasn't often used, and in fact it seemed completely empty to Lisa. However, at the top of the stairway, Lisa was surprised to find that she wasn't alone.

A middle school delinquent (apparently they exist) was harassing a smaller student. The smaller boy's books and papers were all over the floor and the delinquent was punching his stomach with forceful blows.

The boy was crying. His face bled from four places and each of the delinquent's punches brought forth a cacophonous grunt filled with pain.

The delinquent smiled in delight.

Lisa froze. Should she get involved? The smaller boy had to learn that weakness was not tolerated in this world. However, if she left them alone then the boy would probably be hurt very badly.

She stared on for some moments. What was she to do? Lisa also didn't want to get into fights on her first day.

She doubted a silly delinquent would be much trouble anyways.

Using one of her favorite Jujitsu moves, she separated the brawler from his target.

"Wha-?" the delinquent didn't even see it coming. He was sent flying several yards and landed on the ground with a thud. "Whaddaya think you're doing?"

"You shouldn't bully people," Lisa said, using words she imagined her master might use. "They deserve more respect than that."

"What are you talking about?" he looked confused.

Lisa gave up on talking and instead used a special karate technique to finish him off. The delinquent doubled over in shock and pain, collapsing on the ground. He glanced up at her.

He looked into her eyes and saw nothing. She didn't look disgusted by him or angry at him. She didn't look sad or happy at having injured him. Lisa had protected the weak, just as she was taught, and flawlessly so. She did it without qualms.

The delinquent, intimidated and frightened of the cold, apathetic look in her eye, fled.

Lisa sighed in relief and was about to leave when she heard foot steps coming up the stairs; they were slow, calm paces that clacked against the tiled stairs with each footfall.

Someone was coming. Lisa turned to face the stairs and waited to see who it was.

The one who came was a fellow student; although every male student in the school wore the same uniform, this boy looked stylish and handsome. He had short wavy black hair that shined, his eyes dark gray and framed with silver glasses. When he arrived at the top of the stairs, he looked down at the boy who Lisa had saved from the delinquent and glanced at Lisa.

"Don't worry; you're not in trouble," he held up his gloved hands. "But could you tell me what's going on here?"

"Who are you?" Lisa asked calmly.

"Me? I'm a 2nd year student, Katsuo Yamashita!" he introduced himself, sweeping into a grandiose bow. "I also happen to be a member of the student council, and if there's violence going on in the school, I have to file a report."

"Then I'll oblige," Lisa bowed in greeting. "My name is Lisa Kugenin, the transfer student from the U.S. I happened to run into a bully beating this kid. I separated them and chased the bully away."

"Wow! You're so brave," Katsuo looked star struck. He looked Lisa up and down. Aside from being really cute, she didn't seem like the aggressive type. "How did you chase him away?"

"I'm a martial artist," Lisa, who didn't know about the rule, explained.

"A martial artist, huh?" Katsuo stared at her with awe, not really having listened to her answer. Then he realized what she said. "Wha-! A martial artist?!"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Listen, Lisa-san," he looked at her intensely. "Don't tell anyone else in the school that you're a martial artist and don't use martial arts in the school. It's against the rules and you can get into real trouble!"

"Against the rules?" Lisa was surprised. "I understand. Thank you, Katsuo-san, for telling me."

"Even though I'm in the student council," Katsuo rubbed his neck and blushed slightly. "I guess I'll let this incident slide, since you're a new student here. But if you use martial arts again, I'll have no choice but to report you."

"Yes, sir," Lisa bowed again.

Just then, Ma Kenichi, who was looking for Lisa, appeared. He observed the scene; the boy on the floor was still bleeding, and neither Lisa nor Katsuo had volunteered a helping hand.

This, in fact, led Ma Kenichi to believe that Katsuo had been the one to beat the boy and that Lisa was confronting him.

"Hey! You can't go around beating up students, you bastard!" Ma Kenichi, who had learned more than just Chinese Kenpo from Tanimoto, growled at Katsuo.

"I'm sorry, I think there's been a misunderstanding," the boy pushed up his glasses and turned to greet Ma Kenichi. "My name is Katsuo-"

"Aaah!" Ma Kenichi yelled in fury as he struck with a Chinese Kenpo technique combo.

Katsuo blocked each one, taking a step back with each technique, and then counterattacked with a blow of his own, which Ma Kenichi in turn blocked.

"Wow," Katsuo grinned, his eyes glinting. "You're strong. Who is your master?"

"Tanimoto Natsu."

"W-wha-? _The_ Tanimoto Natsu? As in, Hermit?" Katsuo's gaped at him. "Why, he's a famous and highly respected Satsujinken master!"

"Well," Ma Kenichi grinned at the praise for his beloved master. "He is pretty fantastic, isn't he?"

"I'll say!" the boy stepped back and pushed up his glasses. "I'm a huge fan of his! Anyways, you're a really impressive guy! Listen, I know this is really sudden, but do you want to join the student council?"

"The student council?" Ma Kenichi blinked in surprise.

"Yeah!" Katsuo nodded. "All you would have to do is defeat the present 3rd year representative and you can take his place as the protector of the 3rd year students!"

"Wow! That sounds like a great opportunity!" Ma Kenichi smiled kindly. "But unfortunately I'll have to decline your offer. I'm new in this school, and I'd like to stay here for a while before I join any groups."

"I understand," Katsuo smiled back. They bowed to each other. "Thank you anyways. You can go. But please remember-"

"We know," Lisa interrupted. "We can't use martial arts in the school. Thank you, Katsuo-san!"

* * *

Katsuo Yamashita entered the room reserved for the student council. The class representatives for 1st years, 2nd years, and 3rds years were all there, as well as the Vice President, but the President didn't seem to be present. _That's unfortunate_, Katsuo thought, _but it's only to be expected. He doesn't come to school unless there's something important going on._

"Student council," Katsuo announced. "We have new martial artists in the school. One of them is Tanimoto Natsu's disciple."

Almost all of them looked up in surprise. A slow grin spread across their faces.

"I know," Katsuo mirrored their grins. "Exciting, right?"


	7. Brontide

Chapter7

Brontide

* * *

Lisa trotted up to Kenichi Shirahama in hope of a lesson.

"Oh, Lisa!" he looked surprised, as if the fact that Lisa expected something from him was an unprecedented notion. "Have you done you're conditioning?"

"Yes, sir," she answered.

"Are you sure you didn't skip anything? You have to keep your body strong, you know," he asked.

"Her conditioning is the most thorough I've ever seen in a disciple," Akisame intervened. He added pointedly, "At least, in a disciple who does conditioning on her own."

"She's a very independent learner," Kenichi beamed proudly. "Lisa… let's see. Do you want to work on Mubyoshi more or something?"

"Of course," Lisa couldn't help but think she was being brushed away. Nonetheless, she put her hat down and took deep breath in preparation for her training.

"Miu! There's a good movie in theatres today! You wanna go?" Kenichi called into the house.

"Of course!" she answered.

* * *

At school the next day, Lisa's morning was virtually identical to the one prior, but during lunch a surprise lay in wait for her.

As she brought out her bento box to start her meal, several of the boys in the class stalked up to her desk to resume their taunts from the previous day. She ignored them just as thoroughly as she'd done the day before.

Lunch had only just started, and with it the taunts, when Katsuo entered her classroom.

When they saw the secretary of the student council approaching them and Lisa's desk, their voices almost instantly and simultaneously died into silence. They stared at Katsuo, who didn't seem to notice and instead kept his eyes on Lisa.

"Hey, Lisa!" Katsuo greeted.

"Hello, Katsuo-san," she greeted in turn.

"Please, just Katsuo!" he laughed in embarrassment, to which the rest of the boys responded with a sharp gasp in shock. "Anyways, I thought that since you're knew and don't know many people that you might like to eat lunch with me and the student council on the roof."

"That would be nice," Lisa nodded and stood, collecting her bento to take with her to the roof of the school. "Thank you, Katsuo."

They climbed the stairs, both ignoring the stares from the other 2nd years. Whispers bounced across the hallways, people wondering what the student council wanted with this peculiar American transfer student.

Lisa had only heard rumors about the student council. They were apparently the strongest martial artists in the school, and the only ones allowed to fight. They held a special status among the students and were given a certain amount of leeway when it came to breaking the rules. The student council members were entirely exempt from the regulations if it was in the name of discipline.

Of course, Lisa was already used to the world of martial artists. She was, in fact, curious to find what these legendary martial artists would be like and if they would allow her a few sparring matches. Sparring with Ma Kenichi, who was at a slightly lower level than her but close enough to win some matches, was boring. She definitely didn't want to be bored with martial arts.

"Here we are," Katsuo's voice snapped her out of her thoughts when they arrived.

Including Katsuo, Lisa counted five student council members. The apparent leader was a stylish girl with long, dark brown hair and eyes almost as green as Ma Kenichi's. Lisa guessed that she was very popular, and a 3rd year.

"Everyone, this is 2nd year Lisa Kugenin," Katsuo told the group. "Lisa, this is the student council."

"Hello," she bowed with respect. The others nodded in greeting, a few responding audibly.

"I, of course, am the secretary of the student council. That's the 1st year representative," Katsuo pointed to each person as he called out their titles. "They're the 2nd year and 3rd year representatives, and that is the vice president." The last person he pointed to was the stylish girl, apparently the 2nd in command.

"It's brilliant to meet you, Lisa. My name is Eri Kuroki," the vice president introduced herself. "Please, do sit down with us!"

"I'm honored to be here," Lisa obeyed and joined them to eat. "Do I get to meet the president as well?"

"Our president is of the aloof sort," Eri admitted. "And he isn't very sociable. We don't see him often."

"You know," Katsuo started. "Outside of school, Lisa is a martial artist, too!"

"Oh, really!" Eri mused. Some of the others looked up as well with interest. "That's very interesting! Who is your master? I know the martial arts world pretty well; I might have heard of him."

"I'm sure you have," Lisa said. "I'm studying under History's Strongest Disciple, Kenichi Shirahama."

Katsuo and some of the others almost dropped their bento boxes.

"I see," Eri remained calm. "I assume that means you're Katsujinken?"

"I haven't made my choice yet," Lisa explained. "But I was born into a Living Fist family, so I am as of now."

"Isn't it so liberating to have a choice?" Eri smiled coolly. The other student council members exchanged glances.

"I agree," Lisa nodded, ignoring their suspicious behavior. "It's very liberating."

* * *

"Ma Kenichi!" Tsubasa, who apparently liked to address people by their full name, called out to him.

"Yea!" he responded with ease, flipping his long black braid over his shoulder.

"Don't try to be cute," she smacked him on the head. "Anyways, you failed the last math test. You should really start getting serious."

"I failed it?!" Ma Kenichi gawked at the paper as she handed it to him. "Aw, man! You know, if my mom finds out about this, she's gonna kill me!"

"What are you gonna do?" Tsubasa asked.

"Tell my dad," he answered immediately. "He's sympathetic to people who fail in academics. After all, he repeated a grade in high school."

"Not that," she snapped. "What are you gonna do about your grade? If you fail the next test, you'll have to take a supplementary exam!"

"Oh, that," Ma Kenichi waved it away. "I'll just study this time. I'll probably pass."

"Wha-! You mean you didn't study this last test?!" Tsubasa raged. "Take your education seriously, dammit!"

"Will you help me study?" Ma Kenichi asked. "Normally I would ask Midori, but he's dead!"

"M-Midori?" Tsubasa's jumped back in shock. "You don't mean… Midori _Niijima_, do you?" Midori Niijima was, of course, Haruo Niijima's deceased son.

"Yeah!" Ma Kenichi nodded. "He was a family buddy, you could say. His father is a friend of my master."

"Midori Niijima…" Tsubasa's face fell. A dark look shadowed her eyes, and she turned to walk away. When she spoke, she sounded very distracted. "I'll study with you. We can set up a time later. Just pay attention in class and you might not get tossed out for excessive stupidity."

"Will do," Ma Kenichi answered without picking a fight. Something about Tsubasa's reaction to Midori Niijima's name bothered him. What did Tsubasa know about the circumstances surrounding Midori's death?

* * *

"She's definitely a candidate," Eri said.

"She didn't seem that impressive to me," the 2nd year rep shrugged anxiously.

"I think she's perfect!" Katsuo interjected.

"You're biased, Romeo," the 2nd year rep reminded him.

"I think she's super nice!" the 1st year rep chimed.

The 3rd year rep remained silent.

"Lisa Kugenin, huh?" Eri mused thoughtfully. The other student council members looked to her. "Let's tell our masters. They'll know what to do."

* * *

"Well, this is a surprise," Ryuto Asamiya noted as Tanimoto climbed into his training building via the window (even though the door was a perfectly viable alternative).

"Yeah, right," Tanimoto rolled his eyes. "You sensed my ki coming from a mile away."

"To what do I owe the honor?" Ryuto said, pushing up his glasses with a half-smile.

"I came to give you a response about the Yoake thing," the hooded martial artist responded.

"I trust you gave it serious consideration?" Ryuto questioned.

"Of course," Tanimoto nodded. "But Yoake's purpose is to teach kids the Satsujinken way, and I don't really like brats. Also, I don't think the Killing Fist is better or righteous; I just think it's what works for me."

"I see."

"Plus," Tanimoto looked at Ryuto sharply. "I am Hermit. I refuse to be held down by any organization or its rules ever again. After Ragnarok, I was an idiot to join Yomi in the first place. I would have to be Kenichi-level stupid to join another group."

"Yes, well," Ryuto shrugged. "I suspected you might choose this direction. You always were a loose cannon, even in high school."

"I try," Tanimoto saluted in farewell. "See ya, Odin."

"Bye, Hermit," Ryuto waved as well. Tanimoto's hooded figure sped out the window by which he'd come, and he disappeared.

Ryuto exhaled long and deep. Most masters didn't refuse the offer to join Yoake since almost all other Satsujinken organizations collapsed after Yami's defeat. It was a pity, though, that such a brilliant master such as Tanimoto "Hermit" Natsu was a standoffish man.

It was also a shame that Tanimoto's disciple, Ma Kenichi, wouldn't be a part of Yoakeko (夜明け子), the disciple counterpart to Yoake. Yoakeko was to Yoake as Yomi was to Yami.

_Speaking of disciples_, Ryuto thought to himself as he sensed his own disciple's ki approaching the building. He waited patiently as his pupil rushed to the door and entered excitedly.

"Yes, Katsuo?" Ryuto Asamiya asked him. "What is it?"

"Asamiya-sensei," Katsuo, the 3rd highest ranking member of Yoakeko and secretary to the student council, was breathing hard from his run. "I met the disciple of Kenichi Shirahama! She's still deciding between Living Fist and Killing Fist!"

"Oh! Is that so?" Ryuto blinked in surprise. "As the bad news leaves, good news comes." He smiled slowly, deep in thought. Katsuo grinned. "She's still deciding, eh? Well, we ought to help her make her decision."

* * *

_I was overwhelmed._

_The protective arms of a loved one carried me through the sea of flames._

_Bamboo mats, which I'd watched him train on for so many years, were on fire._

_The walls were stained with the fire's orange light, the glow muffled only by the thick smoke that rose to the ceiling._

_I was overwhelmed by the fire._

_His shirt and arms were on fire, but he still lifted my limp body high above the flames without flinching._

_His master's calls had harsh urgency and concern, her voice weakening as she died._

_As she died._

_He reached the doorway, and his strong legs gave out._

_I fell and rolled away from him. I strained my neck to see him collapsed on the ground._

_His mouth formed the word, "Go!"_

_The dojo burned around me, and still I remained frozen._

_Even as fire slapped my face, I froze._

_...!_

Tsubasa awoke in a cold sweat.

She hadn't had that dream in a long time; she wondered what it was that had brought forth such terrible memories.

She fell back onto her pillow. Surely the trigger had been his name on her lips the previous day.

She could still remember her frozen reaction when his name appeared in conversation:

"Midori Niijima."

Whenever she asked herself who she was in love with, that name was still the first one to come to mind. Midori was her sempai and her close friend.

After so many years in authority, the class president was unaccustomed to any sense of vulnerability, but she was in it at that time. Tsubasa closed her eyes and tried to return to sleep, but the memory of the flames became such vivid images that she could smell the smoke, taste the dry air, see the fire, feel the flames, and hear Midori's fearful shouts.

* * *

"How is school going, Ma?" Kenichi Shirahama asked Ma Kenichi at the dinner table a few days later. "Are you doing well in your classes?"

"Well, I am my father's son," the boy laughed heartily. "But I am working on it. I have a study date with the class president next week."

"I hope it's more 'study' than 'date'," Kenichi Shirahama warned.

"Definitely more 'date'," Ma Kensei said. "When you're old like me, you'll remember the good times more than the math worksheets."

"But," Miu glared accusingly at Kensei. She softened her gaze as she turned to Ma Kenichi. "An education is still extremely important, so don't let it slip. What you learn in school effects what you learn from your martial arts masters."

"What are you having trouble with?" Kenichi Shirahama directed his attention to the young boy again.

"Akisame could help you with pretty much anything!" Sakaki pointed out.

"Don't just volunteer me for things, Sakaki," Akisame said irritably. "But if he asks, I would consider offering assistance."

"Thank you," Ma Kenichi nodded his thanks with a smile. "But I would rather try on my own to do things before involving masters."

"That's very noble," Akisame acknowledged.

"How's… the food?" Shigure, who'd helped Miu in preparing dinner, asked.

"Very good, excellent job!" similar calls echoed across the table. Miu beamed with pride. Apachai said nothing and concentrated on shoveling food into his mouth.

The rest of the meal was spent with additional random babble about meaningless minutiae. Everyone else enjoyed it quite well; after all, there was no reason not to. Lisa just looked on in solemn silence.

Lisa waited for someone to ask her how _her_ day at school was. She waited for someone to ask how she was doing in her classes. Even if there was nothing to report, she waited.

Lisa hadn't learned a new technique in several months.

* * *

The day that followed was a weekend, and Lisa, as always, expected a lesson. She was met with a disappointment that was becoming familiar now.

"Sorry, Lisa!" Kenichi Shirahama denied. "I had plans with Miu today! Why don't you practice some of your old techniques and do extra conditioning for now, and I'll teach you a new technique later!"

"Yes, sir," Lisa answered with some difficulty. It was hard to hide her disappointment, but Kenichi was so excited he wouldn't have noticed anyways.

To keep herself from crying, she recalled her mother's warning: that even if Kenichi seemed to be weak or cowardly at times, he always had a plan and he always came through.

Akisame looked away. He knew what was happening, but he stuck by his old teachings; he must never interfere with his disciple's battles. Even if his "disciple" was now the master, this was still Kenichi's battle to fight. He decided to find an excuse to leave the dojo as to not witness Lisa's dejection. Akisame stood and retreated to his chiropractic clinic to meet his customer's demands.

Lisa didn't practice her old techniques. She didn't continue her conditioning.

She just punched the pole. At first they were weak and barely skimmed it, but as she went on she punched with more ardor and more fire. She punched violently and viciously. The pole cracked, but she kept on punching.

Suddenly, between her strikes, Lisa heard the sound of the dojo's gates being opened and closed. Sakaki and Apachai were out gambling, Shigure had disappeared mysteriously (surprise, surprise), Miu and Kenichi were out together, and Ma Kenichi and Kensei were off "bonding" somewhere. Which of the masters was returning?

She darted to the gates and was shocked at who was standing there.

It was Eri Kuroki, the vice president of the student council that Lisa had met the other day. Outside of her school uniform she was even more stunning, with a carefully selected outfit that could still be easily fought in.

"Hello, Lisa," Eri greeted with a cold smile. "I come bearing a challenge."

"None of the Ryouzanpaku masters are here," Lisa told her.

"No, they're not," Eri agreed, her eyes still on Lisa. "My challenge is for you."

"For me?"

"I want to measure your strength," Eri explained, setting down her purse and tying her long dark brown hair in to a side-ponytail. "Katsuo thinks you'll work well in our group, but some of the others have their doubts."

"Y-your group-?"

"As the vice president and 2nd-highest ranked," she went on, ignoring Lisa's exclamation. "It is my duty to investigate you, your strength, and report it to the president for revision."

"What are the terms of the battle?" Lisa asked. She might as well follow the melody and see where it takes her.

"No terms," Eri said, standing before her in a fighting stance. "Anything allowed. Victory will be declared when someone gives up or is knocked out."

"Good luck," Lisa wished as she took up her fighting stance as well. She decided to start out the fight with Muay Thai and switch to Karate once her opponent was off guard. Then a Jujitsu flip and she would be finished.

"Start," Eri called.

As was her plan, Lisa attacked with a Muay Thai axe kick right off the bat, but where her foot should have struck was met with empty air. Eri had moved!

_She's fast_, Lisa thought. She twisted around to locate the girl and-

Lisa gasped. Eri had quickly and with an amazing show of flexibility wrapped her legs around Lisa's head!

Without a word or facial expression, she slammed Lisa into the ground with her feet. Lisa caught herself with her hands, straining her arm muscles as she lifted her body up and flipped around to resume her fighting stance.

"Impressive move," Lisa commented.

"So I've been told," Eri responded.

Eri attacked first this time. With speeds that shouldn't be human, the vice president raced around her opponent so fast that the afterimages appeared to be clones! It made her head spin. Lisa thought that the attack style, which seemed familiar, looked agility based and not unlike ballet.

Lisa blocked three attacks in a row. She marveled at how light they were; it was almost as if Eri hadn't even been trying.

"Y-you weren't effected by my ki," Eri noted in surprise. "That's impressive…"

"So I've been told," Lisa repeated the girl's past response.

"…But it's not enough," Eri's voice came from behind her, the girl before Lisa being a mirage of Eri left behind by her amazing speeds. She struck the back of Lisa's head hard, and in a pressure point so the girl collapsed on the ground.

"This is my win, Lisa Kugenin," she said to Lisa's unconscious body.

Eri Kuroki left.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry I'm late; I had a busy weekend (I realize that it's no excuse, but it's better than none at all). I shall try to be more prompt in the future.

-JubJub


	8. Autodidact

Chapter8

Autodidact

* * *

By the time Kenichi Shirahama and Miu got home, Lisa had already resumed training with the intensity of a thousand suns.

After the incident, all the inhabitants of Ryouzanpaku noticed a new fire in Lisa but refrained from saying so. Ma Kenichi and Kenichi Shirahama both knew that it meant something had upset her, but neither made a move to ask her what it was. Any inquiry on their part would be fruitless anyways.

Ma Kenichi treated her as he always did, and Kenichi Shirahama, who was prone to avoiding serious situations, kept out of her way altogether (which made Lisa even more upset).

Her defeat had only left her with a bump on her head and a dent in her pride. Lisa, although not easily riled up, did not appreciate defeat and was confident to do everything she could to rise up and defeat Eri. The Vice President was now her rival.

Since Kenichi Shirahama didn't want his disciple to feel down, he eventually told her that they could train together in the park the following week. Lisa was so ecstatic that she couldn't walk straight for several minutes.

Her training was finally resuming.

* * *

Akisame Koetsuji picked at his statue-in-progress diligently. Sakaki's ki reached out tentatively towards him to signal that he wanted to talk, while Shigure did the same but hanging from the ceiling. Kensei and Miu were nearby, noticing their anxiety but not showing interest.

"Where's Apachai and Kenichi?" Akisame asked calmly to buffer his way into the conversation he knew would happen eventually.

"Apachai is in the park with the kids," Miu chirped from the kitchen. "And Kenichi is having a telephone meeting with Tanimoto, Takeda, Freya, and Tanaka." Tsutomu Tanaka had left Japan after the Yami incident and Kenichi had helped him move to Brazil with his wife and daughter.

"I heard from Young Kenichi that they discuss world affairs in the martial arts world," Kensei said. "Each of them operate in a different country and give Kenichi updates on the situation globally."

"Typical of Kenichi to make a group like that," Sakaki noted. He coughed and turned to the jujitsu master. "Listen, Akisame, I was wondering if you were gonna do something about Kenichi or if we were just gonna wait and see what happens."

"Do something about Kenichi?" Miu jerked her head in their direction. "What needs to be done? Is he doing something wrong?"

"Miu is.. biased," Shigure said slowly. "So... she hasn't noticed."

"What haven't I noticed?"

"How bad of a master he is," Kensei put bluntly. Miu flinched and recoiled as if the words had caused a stomach ache. Her face revealed surprise and concern.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked.

"How many hours do you recall the five of us spent on Kenichi to cultivate him into a master, hmm?" Akisame prodded.

"Practically all your spare time," Miu said slowly. "But there are five of you and one of him."

"And even despite that we each worked very hard," Akisame reminded her. Miu nodded. "Even the Elder, may he rest in peace, made sacrifices to teach the two of you techniques. Tell me, how many hours since he got here has Kenichi spent actually with his disciple?"

"Not many," Miu admitted. "But he's just catching up with the town! You can tell just by the way she walks that she's had intense martial arts training! Probably Kenichi trained her really hard when they were out of the country and is kind of relaxing now that he's home!"

"First of all, he should never relax when he's training a disciple," Kensei pointed out. "And second of all, the main reason Lisa walks like a martial artist is because she's a staff-user like Freya. Young Kenichi told me that she'd already started training with a staff since she was very young, long before she trained with Kenichi."

"I... told you," Shigure reminded her. "When we first met her that Lisa had... weapons training."

"Oh," Miu deflated. "W-well, that doesn't mean they didn't train a lot outside of Japan! I-I mean-"

"Miu, stop making excuses," Sakaki said. "As much as I like the kid, he can't teach."

"Kenichi is a great man!" Miu blurted out.

"We know," Akisame said softly. "Kenichi is exactly the kind of man we raised him to be. He is definitely a successful master of Ryouzanpaku. However, not every martial arts master was made to teach. Each of us is cut out for it because, even through our desire to protect him, we aren't afraid to hurt our disciple; even Apachai knows that pain is part of training."

"Don't take it personally, Miu," Kensei said. "But Kenichi just isn't willing to hurt Lisa, nor is he willing to spend all his time on her."

"Especially because of his 'don't hit girls' nonsense," Sakaki pointed out. "There's no way he would ever put her through any kind of pain. It might have been a different story if he'd gotten a male disciple, but with Lisa he never stood a chance."

"Plus, she's... really tough," Shigure chimed in. "She kind of... tells Kenichi what to do."

"So what are we going to do about it?" Miu sighed, finally acknowledging the harsh truth about her boyfriend.

"That's what we were wondering," Sakaki and Shigure turned back to Akisame. "I mean, if it were me I'd already tell Kenichi what for, but he's all of your disciple too, so I thought I'd ask."

"Sakaki's so thoughtful!" Kensei said with a sing-song voice.

"Shut up!"

"I can see why you would want to take action," Akisame said thoughtfully. "But I think it's best if we don't. Kenichi needs to learn how to deal with disciples on his own. We can give him a little nudge in the right direction here and there, but please don't tell him what we discussed today. He should also be able to recognize his own mistakes."

"What about Lisa?" Kensei asked. "Would you make her training suffer just so you can teach Kenichi a lesson?"

"As Shigure said, Lisa is very tough," Akisame said. "As long as Kenichi eventually figures it out and starts teaching her properly, I think she can handle it until then."

* * *

Ma Kenichi and Eri, who knew each other only vaguely from being in the same grade, sat entranced as they watched Lisa play her cello with the concentration and confidence of a genius. Siegfried accompanied her with his piano, and together they created beautiful melodies that filled the air.

Eri and Lisa were now best friends despite their rivalry, and so they often went places together and such. Because of this, Lisa was now several times more popular with her classmates and the boys no longer teased her. She continued, however, to ignore them (as is consistent with her personality) and thought little or nothing of them.

Siegfried and his daughter finished their song with flourish, and Ma Kenichi could have sworn he saw sparkled floating in front of them as their beauty floated through the air.

"Wow, my Cavatina!" Siegfried swept her up in a grandiose embrace. "Your melodies are so filled with emotion and feeling! My heart is singing with pride!"

"I guess being with other people my age effected my music as well," Lisa allowed. Siegfried, knowing that she disliked excessive physical contact, set her down gently and twirled away.

"You're father is very interesting," Eri noted when he was safely in the kitchen and out of earshot. "You said you're from a Katsujinken family. Does that mean he's a martial artist?"

"Yes, he was highly respected locally," Lisa sat between Ma Kenichi and Eri. "He was a member of Ragnarok and was briefly considered for a position in Yomi until it became clear that he was Katsujinken."

"Ragnarok? I know a lot about them," Eri said. "Was he highly ranked?"

"He was the 5th first, Siegfried," Ma Kenichi answered for her. Eri's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow," She smiled kindly. "You guys are really in the middle of the martial arts world! You've practically been raised in it!"

"You could definitely say that," Ma Kenichi laughed. "We're children of famous martial artists and disciples of famous martial artists! You can't get more involved than that!"

"I heard from Katsuo that your master is Tanimoto 'Hermit' Natsu," she turned to him, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder. "You're Satsujinken then, right?"

"Nah!" Ma Kenichi waved the idea away. "I'm Katsujinken all the way! My parents would have some choice words for me if I decided to kill people!"

"So many martial artists are choosing the Living Fist nowadays," Eri smiled. "It's only to be expected after the defeat of Yami."

"Yep! Killing Fist is still really big, though," Ma Kenichi recalled his master's words. "After all, people don't just stop killing people!" Eri paused.

"Ma, can you go ask Lisa's father if we could have some tea?" Eri inquired politely. "I would really appreciate it."

Ma Kenichi glanced at Lisa, as if asking for permission to leave them alone. She nodded slightly and the Chinese boy stood and darted into the kitchen. He assumed the girls wanted to talk in private and stayed there with Siegfried while the tea brewed, trying desperately to respect their privacy.

"Lisa," Eri said. "How much training have you done since we last fought?"

"As much as I could," Lisa said carefully, trying not to let on about her master's habit of neglecting her.

"Has your master taught you new techniques?" she asked, knowing the answer already from the look on Lisa's face. "Did your master recommend tactics to use when you next fight me? Does your master even _know_ that we fought?"

Lisa remained silent.

"How strange," Eri said with faux concern. "Masters are supposed to do things like that. Perhaps your master isn't a very good one?"

"My master is History's Strongest Disciple," Lisa snapped. "He is a great martial artist."

"That's right, isn't it?" Eri smiled. "I'm sorry if I sounded rude. It wasn't my intention. Forget what I said entirely!" Just then, Ma Kenichi could not bear it any longer and brought the tea in and interrupted their conversation.

Lisa did not forget what Eri said.

* * *

"You're late, Ma Kenichi!" Tsubasa pointed accusingly at him as she waited by the library's doors.

"Sorry, Tsubasa!" he said as he ran to meet her. "I was listening to Siegfried's music and forgot about school stuff!"

"The things that come out of your mouth make no sense," she rolled her eyes. Tsubasa also eyed his attire suspiciously, the Chinese clothes he often wore hugging his body attractively.

Ma Kenichi watched her as well, and he observed her long skinny legs and cute tank top. Tsubasa was dressed entirely casually, which was a new experience for Ma Kenichi because he always saw her in her perfectly formal school uniform, and he liked it.

"L-Let's go in," Tsubasa tugged on his sleeve as she turned away and stomped into the library.

"Y-yeah," Ma Kenichi agreed floppily, allowing her to drag him away,

_Martial artists are all the same_, Tsubasa thought when she caught herself blushing. _They're all ridiculously charming and handsome. This will be troublesome._

She could not allow a repeat of the Midori incident. Tsubasa consciously made a note that she mustn't fall in love with Ma Kenichi; if he ever got hurt, she might not be able to recover again.

Ma Kenichi had never been hurt that way before. His reaction towards Tsubasa was akin to his sisterly affections towards Lisa, so he assumed that it was that. However, he couldn't understand why his feelings towards Tsubasa were slightly different, and so much more powerful. Ma Kenichi shrugged and decided that he wasn't cut out for hard thinking, so he stopped trying to.

He'd actually cut his visit with Lisa short in order to attend this study date. This wasn't his usual habits, as he tended to treasure time with Lisa above all else, but he'd felt that this was, in one way or another, more important. Ma Kenichi rode it off as a compelling drive to get better grades, although that was more unlikely than the alternative.

* * *

Lisa sat on the swing in the park that Kenichi Shirahama had instructed her to sit at. She recalled that the previous week her master had told her they'd train at the park at this time and place. She was excited, but calmed herself and kept her face emotionless as she drifted gently on the swing.

Deep within her subconscious she suspected the worst. Constant disappointment led to her dreading the next training session that her master would avoid. She practiced whenever she had free-time to prevent herself from becoming weak, but Lisa feared that her techniques and skills were dulling.

Every few seconds she would glance around, letting her blue eyes wander in hope of catching sight of her master. She didn't see him.

He was two hours late.

Lisa kept on waiting. Her master had a bad habit of being late to everything. She'd heard a rumor that he and Miu first met because he was late to school. His tardiness was nothing new, so she kept on waiting, praying that he was distracted and forgot but intended on coming.

When her cell phone chimed, she glanced down and saw that the caller was her master, Kenichi Shirahama. A slow dread churned her stomach, her fingers numb with cold and trembling in anxiety as she accepted the call and raised the phone to her ear.

"Yes sir?" she said, masking her fear with a perfect facade of boredom rather than sadness.

"Lisa? Hello," her master's voice sounded through the speakers. "Where are you?"

"The park," Lisa answered simply, her stomach acids quivering and threatening to come up and out.

"The park-?" Kenichi seemed to remember the promise he'd made. "Crap. I am so sorry, Lisa. I completely forgot about that! You seemed in high spirits today, so it totally slipped my mind! I will definitely make it up to you, Lisa. Come home, okay?"

"Home?" Lisa asked confusedly.

"Yeah, it's too late to get any real training done today," Kenichi explained. "You should come home soon. Miu and Shigure made dinner, and Ma Kenichi's already here. We'll start as soon as you get here."

"You're right, master. It's too late," Lisa said monotonously. "You can start without me. I think I'll go the long way back."

"You sure?" he asked. Lisa didn't answer. "Well, I'll see you when you get home. Don't stay out too late! There's a lot of perverts lurking arou-"

Lisa ended the call before her master finished his sentence.

She leaned over and threw up, the putrid liquid burning her throat as her empty stomach pushed up its acids and left them on the sidewalk.

Her mature mask melted off and was replaced by her feelings of abandonment. A single tear slid down her face.

"Poor little girl," a woman's voice sounded from somewhere behind her. Lisa snapped upright and immediately and turned to look for its source. She could see none. "It's so obvious that you're a hardworking kid, and you're so cute!

"But your master stood you up. It's also clear that he does it often, or your reaction would have been overkill.

"I can tell from your walk that you're training in karate, muay thai, Chinese kenpo, jiujitsu, and... oh! A weapon's style, I see. I guess that means your Kenichi's disciple. Who knew he was such a shitty master?

"You know, kid, it just so happens that I don't have a disciple right now, which is a problem because I'm one of the top masters in a group called Yoake. All the others have disciples, and I don't. So I was thinking it might be cool to get one, and here I am stumbling across a cute abandoned disciple with so much obvious potential.

"My instincts are telling me to say this, and my instincts are never wrong. You could be such a great master with the proper instruction. Even though Kenichi might be close to being the strongest in the world, he clearly has no idea how to handle you."

Just then, the woman's voice came from just behind Lisa. She spun around again and saw a beautiful, slim blond woman dressed in a Gothic Lolita style. She looked roughly the same age as her master and Miu, but she still retained many of her childish facial features.

"It's so sad when a disciple is neglected," the woman said. "If you want, I could... teach you some moves."

Lisa stared at the woman. The woman stared back.

"I don't want to leave my current master," Lisa said hoarsely, her throat raspy from her puking.

"Then don't for now," she shrugged, her dress shifting as she crossed her legs. "You'll be his disciple and you can give me a test run. You know, in between times he's _not_ training you." Lisa pondered on this idea for a moment.

"My name is Lisa Kugenin," she bowed with respect. "Please take care of me."

"My name is Rimi Kokorone," Lisa's new part-time master smiled. "Also known as Atlantae."


	9. Maculate

Chapter9

Maculate

* * *

Katsuo Yamashita's training for the day was finished, and Ryuto Asamiya, his master, invited him to a break. The young boy took a seat but didn't bother to ask the white-haired man to join him because he rarely sat anymore when there was an opportunity to stand.

"Katsuo," Ryuto smiled slightly, turning to his disciple. "How is that girl?"

"You mean Shirahama-sama's disciple?" Katsuo's ears perked. "Lisa is still in between, but I heard a tasty rumor about her status!"

"What's that?" he asked, pushing up his glasses with interest.

"Well, word on the street is that she might dump Shirahama as her sensei," he said, wagging his arms in enthusiasm. "and take up a Satsujinken master! Guess who it i-i-is!"

"Cut the crap, Katsuo."

"It's Atlantae," he responded, withering under the anti-climax of the revelation. Ryuto blinked and brushed the strands of white hair out of his face.

"That's very interesting," Ryuto said, turning to face the window. "I'll have to talk to her about that. It's very strange to imagine her with a disciple, but now that I think about it she may be very suited towards it."

"Lisa is perfect for Satsujinken!" Katsuo gushed. "She has a great balance of mystery and passion!"

"Calm yourself, Katsuo," Ryuto chuckled. "I think it would be best to watch things play out for a while. After all, the key to raising a disciple is patience."

"But she's not your disciple," the young boy pointed out.

"Any Satsujinken disciple is the student of every Yoake member," Ryuto said calmly. "She will be under all of our tutelage."

"That's something I like about Yoakeko," Katsuo smiled warmly. "We're all family."

"It's true," Ryuto faced his disciple. "In the Yomi days, Ryouzanpaku only tried to destroy them because they were trying to wipe out Katsujinken. But Yoake's aim isn't to get rid of Katsujinken but to spread Satsujinken. Even Kenichi couldn't say that we're doing anything legitimately wrong."

"Asamiya-sensei, do you think Lisa will accept the Killing Fist?" Katsuo said. "I mean, she'd be great, but she might not want to switch!"

"She will choose us," Ryuto said. "She has lost faith in Katsujinken and will have no choice but to abandon them and choose the Killing Fist."

* * *

Now that she had a backup plan, Lisa was not as stressed about her training with Kenichi Shirahama. She did not ask for lessons anymore. She waited for him to take the initiative.

He felt her stares on his back, and her intensity led him to tiptoe around her and the subject of her training even more.

At some point, Kenichi realized that he was avoiding her training. After all, he was not the densest person on the planet (oh, wait…), and he did feel guilty about the negligence. But every time he thought he ought to teach her something, he was either busy or embarrassed to offer a lesson to her.

Lisa and Kenichi's disciple-ship never stood a chance.

* * *

Lisa trod into the park right on time. This was her third lesson and she was already learning several more techniques.

Rimi, during their first lesson, had explained a very important aspect of their martial arts:

"Listen, Lisa," she said, pointing at her new disciple. "You have been training in four different styles, and you're already practically a master in staff-using. However, I only know one style."

"How do you expect to train me, then?" Lisa asked with curiosity.

"I was the disciple of a very great master," Rimi said with a reminiscent look on her face. "He trained a whole group of disciples who each had different styles, and I was one of them. My tactics are similar to what his were. Basically, I intend to teach you techniques that will gradually shift you into using a completely new martial art that is a mixture of both of our styles."

"So in the end," Lisa rubbed her chin. "I will be using a single style of mostly your techniques?"

"Yes," Rimi nodded. "I have many techniques to teach you!"

She hadn't been trained with dedication since her days in America with her mother.

Now Lisa arrived at their meeting place, just in time for the lesson, and at first glance the park was completely empty and abandoned. She drooped slowly and peeked around to look for her part-time master.

"Hey, Lisa!" Rimi's cheerful voice sounded from behind her. "What're you looking for?"

"No one!" Lisa spun to face her quickly.

"Did you think I would leave you here?" Rimi smiled gently. She eyed her new disciple with a reassuring expression. "I would never abandon you."

Lisa hadn't smiled like that in a long time.

* * *

"How'd you do on the test _this_ time?" Tsubasa asked the Chinese boy.

"100%" Ma Kenichi answered flippantly, grinning warmly at the class president.

"Wait, what?"

"I didn't get a single question wrong and got a perfect score on the essay," Ma Kenichi answered. "It's all thanks to your studying! Thank you!"

"You…" Tsubasa's eyes were wide with shock. "You've got to be the stupidest genius in the world."

"Thanks!"

"Idiot," She laughed, rubbing her forehead with her fingers.

The rest of the class watched on in awe. Tsubasa hadn't laughed so openly since Midori Niijima's tragic death.

"I know," Ma Kenichi laughed back.

* * *

"Right through here," Eri whispered harshly. "The gang we're defeating is stationed just a little farther."

"Remember to be professional about this," Katsuo whispered to Lisa. "Asamiya-sensei and Atlantae are watching."

"Why am I even here?" Lisa asked. They both shrugged.

"My master couldn't be here today, but she said something about your debut," Eri said by way of explanation.

"What does that-?"

"Ssh! We're here," Eri stuck her hand out to stop them from going on, their locations concealed by a row of bushes just outside the abandoned building that the gang was stationed at.

Eri gestured for Katsuo to get rid of the guards, which he did and quickly. Eri walked in confidently with the stride of a princess, and Lisa followed two steps behind but just as poised.

"What are you bitches doing here?" someone demanded.

"You are useless delinquents that serve no purpose on this planet," Eri said flatly. "It is bad luck for you that Yoake chose you as a training group for us, but that is how it turned out. And now you will all die."

"Like hell," they snorted. "There are like 50 of us here. What are 3 kids gonna do?"

"Don't underestimate Satsujinken," Eri said. Katsuo came up behind them. Lisa tensed her muscles, sensing that the battle was about to start. Eri gestured for them to attack.

The fight seemed to last for hours.

Katsuo and Eri both showed a blood-thirsty side that Lisa had never seen before. Sometimes two or three at a time, the enemies came at them in droves but were always sent away with broken limbs or dead.

Eri cart wheeled through the crowd, bending and twisting this way and that to annihilate them.

Katsuo broke through their ranks like a beam of light through darkness.

Lisa joined them. Whenever she plunged into a big fight with many factors, she preferred to use a staff, which she was the most skilled in and was practically a master. She grabbed a broom from nearby and kicked off the end. This would do.

She launched into attack, using techniques she hadn't used in real battle for a long time. Lisa smiled slightly as she wounded the gang members, one after another, each body another grain of sand on the shore.

With a weapon in her hands, she was an even more effective fighter than Eri and Katsuo, and she quickly caught up with them in terms of numbers defeated.

The gang was now completely defeated. Eri, Katsuo, and Lisa all breathed heavily from the battle, and they went to each individual person to verify their status.

"Lisa, every person you defeated is still alive," Eri said at the end. "We need them dead."

"Dead?" Lisa cocked her head. "Why? They didn't do anything to me."

"Dunno," Katsuo shrugged. "But that was the mission. Everyone has to be killed. I don't want to disappoint Asamiya-sensei, so if you don't kill them I will. I'm sure Atlantae will be sad, though."

"Katsuo," Eri said with a reprimanding tone. He cowered under her withering gaze.

Lisa didn't respond for some moments. Many thoughts rushed through her open mind, especially her mother's warning words about death and killing.

Kenichi Shirahama's constant anecdotes about love, friendship, and the sacredness of life echoed through her mind.

Ma Kenichi's loyalty to Katsujinken even despite his Killing Fist master also crept into her thoughts. Just as quickly as she remembered all these things, she shoved the memories away and silenced her mind.

The choice was hers alone. This had nothing to do with Kenichi Shirahama, Ma Kenichi, her parents, or anyone other than herself. Lisa eventually looked up and looked Eri straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry," Lisa responded. Eri and Katsuo seemed to droop slightly until she continued.

"It's alright-"

"Killing is not my habit," Lisa explained. "I'll fix the issue immediately."

"What?"

She walked up to the nearest body still breath, leaned down, and snapped his neck. She then stood again and walked to another body, repeating the process. Katsuo and Eri watched on wide-eyed.

Lisa didn't seem to be trying to get it over with, nor did she try to drag it on. She just didn't seem to care. The silver-haired martial artist spent nearly fifteen minutes killing the remaining members, her eyes cold and her hands stained with blood.

She didn't even bother wiping anything from her hands when she stood back up, finished, and walked back to Katsuo and Eri, her back a little straighter and her face a little freer.

"I'm done," she said matter-of-factly. "We can leave now."

"Lisa…" Katsuo said gently in awe. Eri said nothing and watched on in admiration of her rival.

Lisa didn't wait for them and left on her own.

* * *

"It is done," Ryuto Asamiya noted as he watched the disciples from the trees not far off.

"I'm so proud of her," Rimi smiled gently, tears welling up in her eyes.

"She chose Satsujinken."

* * *

"I chose Satsujinken," Lisa whispered to herself that night.

The word had always been a curse in her family, but now it had new meaning and brought a liberated smile to her lips.

* * *

Kenichi didn't even notice the difference in his ex-disciple.

He didn't even notice that he wasn't her master anymore.

* * *

"Hey, stupid boxer," Tanimoto Natsu said over to phone while in China. "Where are we meeting? I've been wandering around for a while now, and I can't see you anywhere."

"I'm in a bar about seventeen miles from the estate," Takeda Ikki, Ma Kenichi's father and husband (in other words, errand boy) to Ma Renka.

"Wha-! A bar? Don't tell me you plan on getting drunk!" Tanimoto yelled into the phone at the man.

"No way!" Takeda laughed lazily. "If I get drunk, it will totally not be part of the plan!"

"You're definitely that brat's father," the Chinese kenpo master mumbled. Instead of arguing, Tanimoto followed Takeda's ki, which he'd lit up as a beacon for him, so the meeting could be over with. He had a few things to report for the Phoenix Alliance, and Ma Renka was both a high-priority assassination target and a busy woman, so she'd sent her husband to retrieve the information.

A Japanese martial artist walked into the bar. Chinese men glanced his way briefly, but turned away in fear when they felt Tanimoto's unusually powerful ki.

Takeda really hadn't changed much at all. His trademark straw was still wedged between his teeth, his hair, still dyed blue, was pulled back in his familiar ponytail, and his overall demeanor still reeked of his carefree attitude. The only notably differences were his clothes, which had shifted from a regular Japanese man's clothes to a high class Chinese man's clothes, and the base of a beard that had grown on his chin (but he'd for some reason decided to leave it's natural color rather than matching it to the rest of his hair).

"Yo, Hermit!" he waved jovially. "What's up?"

"I'm here for business, idiot," Tanimoto ignored his greeting and took a seat beside him. "There's really just one thing I'm here to tell you, but it's important, so don't forget it before you tell Renka."

"I may be stupid, but I'm not dumb!" Takeda fumed.

_This cannot be happening to me_, Tanimoto thought in annoyance.

"There is a new Satsujinken group," he went on, ignoring Takeda's outburst. "We're not sure if it's international, so you should find out. If this group, which is called Yoake, by the way, exists in China as well as Japan, then odds are that it exists elsewhere in the world. I've already contacted Freya about checking out the situation in America."

"Has this group gained a lot of power?" Takeda asked seriously.

"It's not a threat yet, but you can bet that lots of ex-Yami and Yomi are gonna be flocking," Tanimoto said. "Lots of our old comrades are there now. I haven't heard, but your Lugh might have joined as well."

"Huh. That would be something," Takeda smiled at his drink with glazed eyes. Then his face brightened considerably as he recalled something and turned to Tanimoto sharply. "My boy! How is my son?"

"That brat's still alive," Tanimoto said briefly, hoping it would suffice.

"Hermi-i-it!" the boxer whined. "Come o-o-on! Tell me everything! Is he adjusting well to Japan? Has he met new people? Does he have a girlfriend? Is his training okay? How advanced is he now? Is he-"

"Shut up," Tanimoto groaned. "He's fine. He's been meeting this girl outside of school, but I think they're just intimate study partners, and his grades reflect your influence. He is really close with his grandfather, unfortunately, but he's also good friends with the other masters of Ryouzanpaku. Is that enough information for you?"

"It's good to know that Ken is doing fine," Takeda let out a breath, using a pet name to refer to Ma Kenichi. "And that his master is paying close attention to him."

"If that's all, I'm gonna leave," Tanimoto stood with embarrassment to retreat back to Japan, but Takeda grabbed his sleeve with a tight grip and would not let go. "Uh… Takeda, what are you doing?"

"Don't leave. Please," Takeda said with strange fire and a pleading voice. "If you go, I'll have to go back home. Please, friend. Stay at least a little longer! Then… when the night is over, I'll go back home to Renka. But please don't make me go back there so soon!"

"You're pathetic," Tanimoto snorted but sat back down, loosening his collar.

"Thanks, man. You're a life-saver," Takeda gestured to the bartender for a couple of shots.

"Whatever."

* * *

Lisa and Ma Kenichi sat at the dinner table, each munching happily. Ma Kenichi was pleased to be spending so much time with Tsubasa, and Lisa was obviously satisfied with her recent life-changing decision.

Kenichi Shirahama, Apachai, and Ma Kensei were noisy as usual. Apachai tried several times to steal the food from Kenichi's plate, but he was met with swift rejection by the master's hand. Miu smiled on in amusement.

Akisame, Sakaki, and Shigure glanced at Lisa, then at each other, then back down to their food.

Lisa ate in silence, an ominous smile on her lips as she chewed. Akisame sighed. Sakaki tried not to react but fumed through the entire meal.

They knew what had happened to the girl.

After eating, Lisa adjourned to her bedroom. She didn't know what would happen if the masters found out about her new status, so she tried to avoid contact with them as often as she could.

Lisa was about to drift off to sleep when she heard a knock on her window. She scrambled to her feet and stalked quietly to it and was met with Katsuo's face.

"Hey, Lisa," he said in a harsh whisper.

"Hello, Katsuo. Any reason why you're at my window?" Lisa asked lightly.

"Yeah. Some of the masters told me to bring a message here, but I have to go soon or the Ryouzanpaku people will come," he said, glancing around nervously.

"What is it?"

"Listen," he said, turning back to Lisa. "Now that you're Satsujinken and the disciple of a Yoake member, Atlantae said that she wants you to be in Yoakeko. Do you want to?"

"Sure," Lisa agreed easily, not caring one way or the other. She already trusted Rimi more than she trusted Kenichi, so she'd do whatever her master said.

"Good, 'cause it's already done," Katsuo said apologetically. "Anyways, both our masters saw how well you did on that mission and think you would be a good choice for the main Yoakeko group."

"What do you mean?" Lisa inquired.

"Well, all the members of the student council are part of Yoakeko," he explained. "We each hold the six top positions in the organization. Asamiya-sensei and Atlantae think you are better than the current 2nd year representative, so they want you to replace him."

"Okay," Lisa shrugged.

"It's not that simple," Katsuo said regrettably. "See, you have to fight each of the student council members- except Eri, 'cause you already fought her- and if you beat the 1st year rep and the others approve, you'll take his place."

"Okay," Lisa repeated. "I'll fight them all. Even you, Katsuo."

"Eh? Ah! I forgot! That means I have to fight you!" Katsuo raved. "Oh no!"

"It's perfect that way," Lisa smiled with determination. "Don't take it easy on me, okay?" Katsuo's eyes widened in respect.

"Of course," he said with a grin.


	10. Flyndrig

Chapter 10

Flyndrig

* * *

Sakaki Shio, using the excuse of boredom, went for a walk. He, of course, had a purpose, but he hoped the other masters never found out. His curiosity was killing him and concern for his disciple was strong.

He hid in a tree, hating himself for acting like Ma Kensei as he stared creepily at the middle school's doors for the parade of students to exit.

He knew that Ma Kenichi had a club activity that day, but he hoped beyond everything that Lisa's friends weren't walking her home. When the silver-haired girl walked out of the building, Sakaki cursed to himself. She was with a boy with black wavy hair (Katsuo Yamashita).

However, he perked up when they turned in opposite directions in returning home.

Sakaki grinned, following Lisa silently and undetectably until there were no others on the street and they were alone.

"Kid," he called seriously. She turned with slight surprise. Sakaki recalled that she hadn't been able to sense him because she couldn't feel his ki.

"Sakaki-sensei," Lisa bowed. "Is something wrong?"

"That's my line," Sakaki said sharply. She looked up curiously. "The other masters said I shouldn't, but it can't do any harm to ask. Tell me what you've been up to. I know something's up; you haven't practiced techniques in the dojo for almost a month."

"So you noticed," Lisa said calmly, straightening herself from her bow. "I'm afraid you're correct; you probably wouldn't approve of my recent actions. But isn't that more of a reason for me not to tell you?"

"What are you afraid of? Aren't you fearless?" Sakaki snorted.

"It is not fear, Sakaki-sensei. Even without being afraid, can't I want you to accept me for a little longer?" Lisa's voice was non-chalant, but her face revealed that the words had been hard to muster. "I won't tell you."

"Pretty gutsy for a disciple," Sakaki crossed his arms. "I could put you in some real pain unless you tell me."

"Ken-sensei wouldn't stand for it," Lisa retorted. "And that wouldn't accomplish anything. I still wouldn't talk. I call your bluff, Sakaki-sensei."

"So what?" he muttered. "What do you want from me?"

"You're the one who tracked me down," Lisa reminded him.

"No, I mean what do I have to do for you to tell me?" Sakaki disliked how she was manipulating his answers so she was in control. He should have known better than to challenge her verbally; his mind wasn't his strongest suit.

"Simple," Lisa responded as if she'd had the answer in her head all along. "I want you to keep a secret from everyone and anyone, no exceptions."

"Oh, that's all," Sakaki growled sarcastically. "What do you take me for, some kind of back-stabber?"

"I take you for a curious man," Lisa said. "After all, you are asking me for answers quite stubbornly."

"Do you really think I'd keep your dirty little secrets?" he asked.

"You don't have to; I just won't tell you in the first place," she said, turning to go back to the dojo.

"Don't walk away from me, brat!" Sakaki thumped her on the head lightly. She cringed and grimaced, her knees trembling slightly before straightening out and turning around to face him. "I'll keep your secret if you promise to tell everyone yourself."

"When the time comes, I will," Lisa said.

"Start spilling, squirt," Sakaki said.

Lisa recounted the past month or so for him, telling him about her friendships with Eri and Katsuo, her first meeting with Rimi Kokorone, and her first time killing. At this part, Sakaki looked about to start yelling, but pursed his lips instead, releasing a ki that would have knocked a normal girl off her feet.

She told him about her reasons for choosing Satsujinken, and her feelings of freedom once she'd joined it. Lisa revealed that she'd joined Yoakeko, and also about the entrance test which involved battling with the existing top members of Yoakeko.

Once she'd finished, he didn't respond. He muttered for her to be home on time for dinner and disappeared without another word.

Lisa shrugged. It was a heavy burden to carry, but Sakaki was a man of his word. Lisa later discovered that he'd kept his promise and none of the other masters knew her secret.

* * *

"How's Lisa's training been going?" Miu asked Kenichi Shirahama as they waited for the food to arrive at the restaurant they were in.

"Eh? Ah!" Kenichi floundered and knocked over a soda can, but he re-straightened it so quickly that even the liquid had no time to fall on the table. "Fine! Just fine! She's... very independent, but she's been... improving."

"Kenichi," Miu said seriously. "Don't you think spending time with me is taking up too much of your time?"

"Miu! Don't ever think spending time with you is an inconvenience!" Kenichi argued.

"I wouldn't mind if you trained her more often than hanging out with me," she went on. "She needs her master, Kenichi. And that's you."

"I know! Are you saying I'm not training her enough?" he looked shocked. Miu remained silent, and Kenichi paused to ponder the prospect. He tried to recall the last time he'd actually given Lisa a lesson; it seemed like so long ago.

"Kenichi?" Miu poked his arm. "Don't you think she's been acting strange lately?" Kenichi looked up sharply, a pained look on his face.

"I know!" he said loudly. He slammed his fists on the table, creating a large crack but not breaking it because he stopped himself at the last minute. "I know something's wrong! Lisa has been distant, she's eating more, she's constantly thinking of something else, she's hardly ever home, and those friends of hers are freaking suspicious!"

"Why don't you do something?"

"Hah! Miu, this is me. I may be History's Strongest Disciple, and I've changed a lot, but at my core I'm still Weak-Knees Kenichi. I have no idea what to say to her, or what to do! Frankly, it scares me a little too much to do anything anyways!"

"Kenichi, that shouldn't happen! How can you be so afraid of your own disciple?" Miu wagged her finger and shook her head in disapproval.

"It's not that I'm afraid of her, I'm afraid that I'll make it worse," he sighed. "What if she has a problem that I can't solve? Then she'll feel like I'm abandoning her to her suffering, and she'll hate me and the world, and she'll start to do drugs and sell her body, and then she'll run up a huge debt, and then the people she owes money to will molest her, and she'll commit suicide and it'll be all my fault!"

"Breathe!" Miu wailed. He inhaled. "We both know that's silly."

"I'm serious!"

"Well, it's silly," she said. Kenichi slouched sadly. "Listen, why don't you just talk to her! Don't you remember all those times you were able to save me with just your voice?"

"Hm? My voice?"

"Yep," Miu smiled tenderly. "A few times I was almost completely lost to my dou ki, and hearing you call my name always brought me back eventually."

"Miu, that's no surprise," Kenichi shook his head. "Of course, as I promised you all those years ago, I will always bring you back. No matter what."

They both blushed and looked down.

"Miu... do you think maybe we could..."

"No," Miu shook her head.

"What? Why?"

"I want to honor what my grandfather, my closest blood-tie, instructed," she crossed her arms defiantly. Kenichi scratched his head.

"But what he said wasn't really to stop us from b-being together," he said, stuttering on that embarrassing phrase. "It was to make me work harder, wasn't it?"

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he really wanted you to surpass him," Miu said earnestly.

"I think so too," Kenichi nodded. "He was the sort of man to have... _high expectations_ of his disciples. But you've got to admit, you can tell just from my ki that I'm pretty darn close!"

"W-well, yeah," Miu relented. "But there's no way to prove that-"

"So, what?" he said roughly. "We'll _never_ be together? All the hard work I've put into my training has been for nothing? And your dream to be bride will never come true unless you go with some other guy who hasn't worked nearly as hard for you? If that's what you want, be my guest."

"Kenichi, I would never be with anyone other than you!" Miu blurted. "B-But maybe we should wait a while."

"For what? Is there a difference between now and later?"

"I don't want to give in so easily, Kenichi," she explained. "Ask me again after a while and I... might have a different answer."

Judging by the look on her face, the next time he asked she would agree.

* * *

Ma Kenichi and Tsubasa avoided the subject of their relationship, the seemingly cavernous gap between them growing smaller with each glance they exchanged. In perfect honesty, there was hardly a minute of school where they were not seen together, and Tsubasa's liberated laugh showed itself more and more often.

Eri was the class president of a different class of 3rd years, but news of their closeness was not insignificant enough to fail to reach her ears, pricked for any sign of information. This tidbit was delicious, and she grinned with the intention of abusing it.

Eri's next steps were not so simple, but she managed to single out a lapse of time in which Tsubasa was completely alone. After classes were all let out, the petite girl often went to the roof and sat there, the beams of the fading twilight bathing her sullen face as she drowned in reminiscience of her deceased friend, Midori Niijima.

Eri ambushed her there.

"Hello, Tomoko," Eri addressed her by her first name.

"Eri!" Tsubasa scrambled to her feet in surprise. "Why are you here so late?"

"I could ask you the same question," Eri glanced around lazily and kicked an empty bucket out of her way with disgust at its unsanitary nature. "But I won't because I honestly don't care."

_Oh no_, Tsubasa thought, stiffening. _She's here to start trouble._ Her small body was wrought with tension, and Tsubasa knew that if Eri did decide to beat her up, she had no way to stop her.

"Also, it's perfectly clear that you're busy thinking about dead people," Eri said. "Midori Niijima, right? It was just tragic how he was _murdered_ like that."

"Yes, I know," Tsubasa said stiffly. "I would appreciate it if you would stop mentioning-"

"I mean, _think_ about it," Eri said, walking towards Tsubasa slowly. "There he was, in a burning building, and his master was so _pathetic_ she couldn't even save him. As I recall, there was no one else there to help him, right?"

Tsubasa remained silent. Eri grinned slowly, her glossy lips pulled back into a dazzling smile.

"Yep! He _died_ totally alone!" she twirled around nonchalantly. "Imagine if someone else was there! Well, that person would have been totally useless anyways, right? I mean, all that would have done was slowed him down even more. They might not have found his body if there was! At least, not an identifiable one!"

"Please stop," Tsubasa whispered quietly. A normal person would not have been able to hear her words, but Eri was not normal.

"Oh! He was your friend wasn't he? Actually, there were rumors floating around that he was more than that. He was your boyfriend, wasn't he? Not bad; after all, he was both of our sempai. I'm sorry for bringing up old wounds, but he's dead anyways, right? He's gone forever, and there's nothing _anyone_ can do about it."

"Stop," she mouthed the word to herself, voice-less air tumbling out of her mouth.

"Don't tell me you're gonna cry!" Eri cackled sadistically, now only a few meters away from her. "I have to say, though, cowardice suits you well for someone so bold. You should stick to acting as weak and pathetic as you really are instead of pretending to be someone important."

"Eri, stop it," Tsubasa said shakily but now loudly.

"You have no right to tell me what to do!" Eri snapped harshly, now circling around the girl. "I am your superior in every imagineable subject. I'm smarter than you, prettier, nicer, more popular, higher ranked, and I could beat you into next week in the blink of an eye! How dare you tell me to stop it!" Tsubasa recoiled in shame.

"What a pitiful child," Eri huffed with indignance. "You know, it's hardly even worth it to talk to you. I don't understand how you caught Ma Kenichi's attention."

Tsubasa flinched, and looked away.

"The disciple of such a powerful master deserves someone much closer to his level," Eri flipped her hair over her shoulder. Now she was talking to herself rather than to Tsubasa. "Not a snivelling cry-baby like you. Once he and Lisa are both on our side-"

"Tsubasa?" Ma Kenichi's voice sounded from the doorway which led to the roof, and his face followed immediately after as he peeked around the door frame. He saw Eri and Tsubasa standing together, the latter nearly in tears. His face turned dark and he walked briskly towards them, grabbing Tsubasa's hand as soon as he was close enough to reach.

"Ma Kenichi, what are you doing here?" Eri asked coolly, the excitement of tormenting someone fading to her normal chilled temprament.

"Looking for her," he said flatly, walking away so quickly that Tsubasa almost had to run to catch up without bothering the say goodbye to the vice president of the student council.

Once they were outside the front of the school, he stopped abruptly and turned to Tsubasa, who skidded to a halt.

"What did she do to you?" he dmenaded. "Did she hurt you? Say anything hurtful? Is she bullying you? Are you-"

"Ma Kenichi, I'm fine," she said. She'd already calmed down and resumed her audacious nature. Tsubasa reached up and pushed his cheek in a mock slap. "You don't have to worry. She wasn't doing anything wrong."

"Tsubasa-"

"I'll see you later," she said, walking away and waving her hand goodbye. The girl's legs still trembled as she attempted a brave walk home.

Ma Kenichi looked up to the roof, where Eri still stood watching them. Even from that distance, Ma Kenichi could tell that she was smiling innocently, but he could still see the mischievous glint behind it.

_There's something weird about her,_ Ma Kenichi thought, concern for Tsubasa welling up inside him. He turned and trotted towards Ryouzanpaku.

The walk home was one full of thoughts, which he wasn't used to. Each individual thought that flew through his head only had a basic form, and they each had already passed before he could properly distinguish what they were. Basically, his head was in a whirl of nonsense for the majority of the walk.

"Well, if it isn't Kenichi," a low, smooth voice came from behind him. It was eerily familiar, but as Ma Kenichi couldn't place it, he turned sharply to see who it was.

A boy, roughly the same age as he, wearing the same school uniform that Ma Kenichi was currently sporting. His hair was bright red, his skin dark, and his eyes were pale blue. It was a strange combination, but Ma Kenichi couldn't help feel like he'd seen someone like this person before.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"I'm hurt, Kenichi," he said, no emotion creeping into his voice. "It's a shame you don't recall. No matter. You should at least recognize who the student council president is at your own school."

"President?" Ma Kenichi repeated dumbly in surprise.

"That's me," he pointed to himself, unsure as to whether the message had gotten through Ma Kenichi's dense head. "Seems you haven't changed a bit."

"Have we met?" he asked, certain they'd known each other.

"Yes, we have," the president said, walking past Ma Kenichi. "But it is of no consequence. Everything you knew about me has changed, so don't even bother trying to remember. I just wanted to reintroduce myself to you since we are probably going to crash heads soon."

"What? Why?"

"You'll understand eventually."

With that, the president of the student council and #1 member of Yoakeko disappeared.

* * *

Less than a week after, Lisa was lounging behind the school lazily. Eri had asked her to wait for her there after school, but she'd been there for about half an hour to no avail.

She glanced through a classroom window to a clock on the wall. She would be late to her lesson with Rimi at this rate.

"Sorry I'm late," Lisa's heard a girl's voice, younger than Eri's, approaching her and she looked up to see it's owner.

She was wearing the school uniform as well, but she was even younger than Lisa was, probably a 1st year. Her hair was light brown and was held in two pigtails that draped over each of her shoulders, her eyes large and dark. Her frame was small and delicate, but Lisa could tell by her movememnts that she was not weak.

"I'm waiting for Eri Kuroki, not you," Lisa said flatly. "You must be mistaken."

"Eri isn't coming," the girl said, setting down her gym bag and cracking her knuckled. "She asked you to come here to meet me. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you, Lisa Kugenin."

"What is it you want?" Lisa stood up, not sensing the girl's swelling ki.

"Amazing. You really can't feel it," she smiled. "My name is Kihara Haru, but you can call me Haru."

"Good to meet you, Haru. You already know my name, so there's no need to introduce myself," Lisa said suspiciously.

"Yes, well, I'm surprised you didn't already know my name," Haru said earnestly. "Since we eat lunch together every day."

Lisa thought back to her lunch periods, which she spent with the student council.

"You're... the 1st year representative," Lisa said slowly. Her eyes sharpened. "You're in Yoakeko?"

"Yes."

"I'm starting to understand why you're here," Lisa said, placing her right foot back.

"Good," Haru said, assuming the same stance.

Lisa and Haru stared at each other, eyebrows set and prepared for a fight.

"Lisa Kugenin, ex-disciple of Kenichi Shirahama and present disciple of Rimi Kokorone," Haru called loudly. "Daughter of two of the fists of Ragnarok and occupant of Ryouzanpaku. I, Kihara Haru, challenge you to a battle that will help us decide if you are strong enough to be in Yoakeko."

"I, Lisa Kugenin, accept."


	11. Bletcherous

Chapter11

Bletcherous

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm sorry, but I kind of felt that this chapter had to be mostly battle. I know I'm not very good at battles right now, but if anyone out there has any suggestions, I'd appreciate some advice on how to make my battle scenes more interesting. Thanks !_

_-JubJub_

* * *

Haru's attack style, like Eri's, seemed familiar to Lisa. However they were each completely different and styles that she herself had never encountered before, so she could only assume they were martial arts that she'd been told about but never fought against.

Lisa was in the middle of her transference from Kenichi Shirahama's fighting style to Rimi Kokorone's, so she was virtually formless. That meant she was nearly impossible to predict and had the advantage.

They launched their individual attacks, each immediately showing which ki type they had.

Haru had a dou ki, and her eyes, two flashing spotlights, were ablaze as she lunged at her opponent.

Lisa, calm and collected, quickly and effortlessly formed her seikuken and deflected Haru's first few attacks.

Lisa flapped her hand in surprise. Haru's blow was more powerful than she'd anticipated.

In a stunning display of speed, Haru leapt over her opponent and attempted a high angle, which Lisa quickly avoided. The 1st year representative then decided to try a technique. To prepare for it, she went in for a strike.

Lisa spun away to avoid it, and that is when Haru attacked.

"Northern Tornado Spin!"

Using the momentum from Lisa's avoiding spin, she executed a throw that sent Lisa tumbling to the ground!

Lisa popped up immediately. What a surprising attack! She closed her eyes. It was time to counter with one of her own.

_Let's try one of Rimi-sensei's techniques_, Lisa thought.

"Phantom Night of the Swallow!"

Using the speed she'd developed during months of lone conditioning, she moved around Haru till she seemingly disappeared.

Haru at first tried to follow Lisa with her eyes, but she soon discovered that such an approach was unwise. She closed her eyes and tried to sense the girl's ki. It was easier to feel it than to see her, and she timed a strike as Lisa passed by.

_Wha-?_ Haru thought. Lisa was not there! _But I timed the attack perfectly!_

"Woodpecker Ripping Kick!"

Lisa had predicted Haru's attack and countered with a kick that came out of nowhere and pushed Haru back with a yelp.

She kicked the girl again, in the same spot. Then again, and so on until the technique (which involves repeated striking) was completed.

Haru and Lisa breathed heavily, but only paused for a second to catch their breath and went back in to attack.

* * *

If there was one thing Ma Kenichi enjoyed beyond a shadow of doubt, it was eating ramen.

It was his pride and joy, and between training sessions with his grandfather and study outings with Tsubasa, his time was almost entirely occupied by the noodles. Thus it was no surprise that one of the only times to find the young Ma heir alone was in a noodle shop.

Ma Kenichi grinned at the bowl before him and snapped the chopsticks to begin his much-awaited meal. He scooped up a chopstick-full and had just shoved it in his mouth when he became acutely aware of an ominous, powerful ki nearby.

He looked up, and right beside him sat the President of the student council.

"Arbh!" he exclaimed through a full mouth.

"Hello to you, too," The red-haired President allowed. His eyes were blank and showed no humor, but they were not cold either. It was almost as if there was nothing there at all. In his mind, Ma Kenichi pictured the President as a statue on the park and created an imaginary pigeon to poop on his face.

He snickered.

"Is there something on my face?" the president inquired.

"Not yet," Ma Kenichi replied jovially. "So, then! Is there a reason you've found me again?"

"To tell you the absolute proof, I was a little put off by the fact that you don't remember me," he shrugged. "I thought I'd come back to jog some memories. Or maybe you were joking with me. I miss funny jokes sometimes."

"Uh... I really don't remember you," Ma Kenichi said curiously. Something about this guy's manner of speaking was strange. Familiar, no doubt, but it was peculiarly stiff and dry.

"Are you _sure_?" the president leaned in closely to the boy. "Maybe it's the hair. I have dyed it since we last met."

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

Ma Kenichi squinted as he strained his memory, the large blue eyes he was looking into now painting a picture of a boy he once knew. Who was that kid? What did he look like fully? Where did Ma Kenichi know him from? He could remember none of those things, but he knew the answers were just in reach when-

"You know," the President broke the spell and turned back to the ramen counter. "I'm going to see how long it takes you to figure it out. If by the time you first see me fight you haven't guessed correctly, I'll tell you. But until then, you'll have to discover who I was without even knowing my name."

"That's impossible!" Ma Kenichi whined, tugging the president's sleeve. "Tell me your name at least! Ple-e-e-ease!"

"Well, I guess I will."

"Really?"

"No," The president stood and turned to walk away. Before he was out the door, he seemed to remember something and glanced behind at Ma Kenichi. "By the way; the no-martial-arts rule in school is a tool to choose fools from jewels, Kenichi. Those passionate enough about martial arts to break the rule are respected; however, in your case I suspect you will be punished harshly with no leniency."

"What? Why?!" Ma Kenichi demanded with concern.

"You have not kept it a secret that your master is Natsu Tanimoto," the president pointed out. "He was eventually known to be a member of Ragnarok, and any martial arts action on his disciple's part will be seen as attempts to rekindle the age of martial arts gangs."

"That's no fair!"

"What? It seems fair to me," the president turned back around. "After all, you were the one who didn't think to keep your Satsujinken master a surreptitious matter."

"But I-"

"Kenichi," the president sighed. "I've been trying to leave for a while now, but your questions interrupt me. Would you mind letting me be dramatic?"

"Huh?" Ma Kenichi blinked in confusion. "Dramatic?"

"Whatever. I'm leaving," the president pushed the door open and trotted out, muttering about how anti-climactic the end of their meeting had been.

Ma Kenichi chortled. What a funny guy!

He grinned and turned back to his bowl of ramen.

* * *

The president, from the ramen shop, went to visit a friend of his.

He climbed in the window of Ryuto Asamiya's private dojo, as was the custom of martial artists. They seem to be opposed to the use of doors.

"Look who it is," Ryuto smiled slightly, pushing up his glasses. "I'm glad to see you're doing alright. Haven't seen you in town for about a week."

"I've been around," he said curtly. "I've been talking to Kenichi."

"Shirahama?"

"No, the other one," the president said. "The Ma heir."

"Oh! How has that been going?"

"Not bad. He doesn't remember, but that's okay," he said. "He's just like my old master; never using his brain."

"That's not a very nice thing for a disciple to say," Ryuto wagged his finger. "Although we both know that you won't be a disciple for long."

"No, I dare say not," The President shrugged. "Maybe afterward I'll visit my ex-sensei, just to show him what a great martial artist I've become."

"He might not appreciate that," Ryuto pushed up his glasses. "Especially since you achieved your level on your own, without his help."

"Yes, I suppose my situation is unique in that way," he looked at his fist. "I'm probably one of the only martial artists that trained themselves successfully. That Lisa Kugenin girl wasn't even able to do it, and she is a genius."

"By the way, I sent Haru to challenge her already," Ryuto said when he remembered.

"Who's that?"

"She's the 1st year representative of the student council and your comrade in Yoakeko," the white-haired master chuckled. "You should at least know your own teammates."

"I have no teammates, Asamiya-san," the President turned to leave. "I only have myself." He leapt onto the window sill once more to depart.

"You seem pretty keen on Lisa, though," Ryuto said offhandedly, glancing at the boy to gauge his reaction. The president froze in place as if he were a criminal caught red-handed. He turned back to the master, his face red but with a flat expression.

"Goodbye, Asamiya," he saluted him and turned back again to leave once more.

* * *

Lisa and Haru were both heaving each breath as if it were a huge burden, sweat tumbling down their faces and their faces bright red from exhaustion.

"You're... pretty... good," Lisa noted, inhaling sharply after each word.

"Right... back... at you," Haru responded.

As if in sync, they both launched themselves towards each other.

"Nirvana No Canon!" Lisa called the name of one of her father's attacks.

She performed a pirouette on one foot with her hands positioned outwards by her side, just as her father wood have, and spun quickly towards her opponent. Her rotations strengthened the punch she dealt to the girl.

Haru fell backwards, struck by the sheer force of Lisa's attack. She was slightly disoriented and had to shake away her dizziness. The petite girl quickly and elegantly climbed to her feet and prepared for her next attack.

She ran directly towards Lisa and appeared to be attempting an arm lock, but instead she slid between Lisa's legs and popped back up behind her.

_Wha-?_

"Circle of the Shinigami!" Haru called the name of the attack.

She leaped up and wrapped her arms around Lisa's throat and to choke! To apply more pressure to the choke, Haru pressed her legs to her opponent's back to make it harder to break from.

Before she could be extremely affected by the attack, Lisa used a basic jujitsu move that Kenichi Shirahama had originally taught her.

She lifted Haru off the ground and threw her over the shoulder onto the ground in front of her, just as Kenichi had practiced so many times in front of that stone statue under Akisame Koetsuji's tutelage.

"Oogoshi!" Lisa called once Haru's choking hands were no longer obstructing her air passages. Now, at least for a moment, Lisa was facing Haru's back and had the prime opportunity to use another of her father's attacks.

"Waltz of Hades!" Lisa grabbed the girl from behind and drove her knees into her side.

Haru cried out in pain and used a defensive maneuver to escape the crushing blow much too late. She grunted with each breath, her ki growing and growing in power.

"It's time I got serious," Haru mumbled to herself.

"What?" Lisa asked.

"Forward March of Death!" Haru yelled at the top of her lungs, her dou ki exploding from her small body as she propelled herself forward in a lashing, ruthless rampage with seemingly no concern for her life.

Lisa, of course, could not sense the girl's ki and instead reacted calmly to each attack that came her way.

"Woodpecker Ripping Kick!" Lisa decided to use the attack again, judging from how effective it had been in her first time using it. She launched the first kick in the set, but was not met with the same success that had resulted from the first time.

Instead, Haru took the kick easily, and instead of cringing from the pain continued on her attack.

Lisa flew back several feet, her forehead bleeding slightly from the crash. As she lay on the floor, Haru continued to shower her with attacks, which Lisa tried to protect herself from mostly successfully.

"Ogata Style Wall Walk!" Lisa sputtered out, using her hyper speed to quickly escape from the barrage of punches to run up the nearby wall then back down onto the other side of Haru.

Haru, without missing a beat, turned on Lisa ferociously and ran at her again to attack rashly.

"Chai Kick!" Lisa called, using the Muay Thai roundhouse kick that Kenichi had taught her. Haru caught it and pushed it away, substituting it with a punch to Lisa's side. The silver-haired martial artist cringed.

Just then, Lisa realized that Haru was fighting without regard for her life or safety. The 1st year representative had purged all self-preservation reflexes and was fighting purely with offensive techniques. Thus, Lisa decided to use another technique that Kenichi had taught her, this time a karate move.

"Yamazuki!"

She gave a dual punch, once towards Haru's head and one towards her stomach. Haru was only able to block one of them, and the second went through. The blow was powerful enough to push Haru back.

"Haigeki!"

Lisa followed it up with a Chinese Kenpo Technique that was similar to a high speed tackle attack. Using highly pressurized speed and leg strength, she propelled her shoulder upwards into Haru's jaw. The girl fell backwards again.

"Requiem Buster!"

Lisa then used another of her father's techniques, lifting Haru up and jumping into the air only to slam her back into the ground with gravity on her side.

Haru coughed blood onto the floor, one of her pigtails undone, scratches and slits in her skin bleeding onto the floor. She struggled to her feet and took up her fighting stance again.

"Hey, before we go on," Lisa interrupted their fight. "What is you're fighting style? I feel like I've heard of it before."

"It is called Command SAMBO," Haru sputtered. "My master is Boris Ivanov." A light of recognition went off in Lisa's mind.

"No wonder," Lisa mumbled. "That man was one of my ex-master's rivals in Yami."

"Lisa," Haru said darkly. "Giving me time to rest was a big mistake. I hope you know that."

"I'll defeat you anyways," Lisa shrugged nonchalantly.

"We'll see about that."

Haru launched before Lisa was entirely prepared for what she was goiing to do, and when the small brown-haired girl launched herself at her Lisa fell backwards from surprise and flipped up to return with an attack.

"Nirvana no Canon, Vertical!" Lisa called, using a variation of an attack she'd used earlier. She leaped up and cart-wheeled in the air, using the momentum from the performance to smack Haru as well.

"Dammit," Haru muttered. She knew she was losing. She had one hope left that might buy her some time to muster her energy for her trump card.

Lisa didn't say anything. She was, in fact, imagining what her rival Eri would do in this situation. She had no doubt that Eri was a sadistic girl when riled up, but Lisa couldn't imagine wanting to hurt Haru for pleasure. She just really didn't care.

_What a hassle_, Lisa thought. Her mother would be tremendously disappointed if she knew everything she'd done in the past month or so. She even killed people. Lisa didn't want to handle Freya's reaction, but she knew that it would have to happen eventually.

The silver-haired disciple shrugged. This was not the time to think about this. She might as well finish this fight and ponder it later.

Lisa threw a karate-style punch at her opponent. Haru grinned.

"Sickle and Hammer!" Haru called the name of her counter attack. She snapped a kick at Lisa's punch, knocking it out of the way and leaped into the air to use the other leg as an offensive technique.

Before Lisa could throw another punch, the brown-haired girl went offensive.

"Crescent Moon!" Haru announced.

She threw a high-pressure punch at Lisa's stomach, at the same time pulling back her other arm to do the same on the other side. Like a gattling gun, Haru pummeled the silver-haired disciple with punches. Lisa cringed, resisting futilely against the attack.

"Northern Tornado Spin!" Haru repeated an earlier attack, which landed Lisa with yet another wound.

_I have to do something_, Lisa thought. Haru's attacks were powerful for someone her size, and the teaching abilities of Boris Ivanov were astounding. If she didn't take a defensive position, she would lose the battle.

Lisa then decided to concentrate her energy on blocking all of Haru's attack. The thought of attacking didn't even cross her mind; she deflected each blow with grace and didn't expend her energy on fruitless attacks, while Haru relentlessly showered her with punches and kicks, as well as other various attacks that would have been lethal on a less able opponent.

Lisa endured through it all until it was finally the perfect point to strike.

"Now that you're tired again, it is my time," Lisa said smoothly. Haru flinched when she felt Lisa's ki, which Lisa herself couldn't sense or control, welling up like a tsunami.

"So this is your power," Haru smiled. "I give my approval."

"All Sides Woodpecker Ripping Kick," Lisa decided to finish the battle with one of Rimi's attacks.

She unleashed a wave of kicks over Haru, beating her into the ground so hard that the dirt was tossed into the air till it was thicker than mist.

Blood was spattered on Lisa's shins as she walked away from the dust cloud, and Haru was breathing raggedly, unconscious on the floor.

* * *

"I see you've been fighting," Sakaki accused.

"Why, yes I have," Lisa said simply, grabbing a wet rag and washing the blood off her hands and legs. "And I won, thank you very much."

"Good for you, but remember our deal," Sakaki snapped. "You have to tell everyone what you've been doing."

"And I said I would eventually," Lisa reminded him. "That doesn't mean I'm going to any time soon."

"Just do it," Sakaki mumbled. "Your mom called. She wanted to talk to you, but I covered your ass. Told her you were out with some friends in the student council."

"Which wasn't a total lie," Lisa pointed out.

"Whatever."

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama decided that enough was enough.

Lisa and he hadn't even spoken to each other in over a week. That was _ridiculous_ of a master and disciple. It was high time he behaved like the man he was and offered a lesson to her.

"Lisa!" he called, bounding over.

"Hello, Ken-sensei," Lisa said calmly, forcing herself to address him as if he were her master once more.

"I haven't really been the best master lately, and I'm sorry," he said, blushing and rubbing his head. "I guess I just thought that you were busy with schoolwork and that your grades might suffer if I trained you too often."

"Not at all," Lisa answered respectfully. "I have actually had surprisingly little school work."

"Oh, well," Kenichi was embarrassed that he hadn't noticed the absence of school concentration. "I'm really, really sorry."

"I'm not mad at you, Ken-sensei," Lisa answered honestly. She really wasn't; she was more disappointed, and apathetic about the fact that Kenichi had never satisfied her energy when it came to training.

"So-o-o! I thought we might have a lesson today!" Kenichi said, rubbing his hands together in preparation for it.

"No, thank you," Lisa politely declined.

"Eh?"

"I'm afraid that at the moment I have an appointment with Eri and Katsuo," Lisa bowed to him. "Perhaps later would be a better time for both of us. Niijima-san has probably missed your company."

"Um, Lisa?" Kenichi tried to interrupt.

"I'm actually terribly late," Lisa glanced at the clock on the wall. "I think I had better get going. I'll see you later, Ken-sensei."

She turned and left Kenichi standing in confusion and concern. It wasn't like her to refuse a lesson. In fact, he'd never even considered the prospect that she wouldn't want to train. It was so bizarre that he was frozen in place for a good while until Ma Kensei waved his hand in front of his face to check if he was conscious.

He blinked. Something was up.

Kenichi was now suspicious of his disciple, and he didn't like it one bit.


	12. Blatteroon

Chapter 12

Blatteroon

* * *

Miu watched Shigure carefully as the weapon's master practiced making the sauce for the meal they would have that night; the main course was always left to the cooking master, but since Shigure was learning and needed practice, she often made several side dishes.

Shigure glanced at Miu for a moment, then back at the tomato she was chopping. Of course, she still made each slice perfectly spaced and the exact same size with the kitchen knife (as was her specialty). The black-haired woman eyed Miu inquisitively and with a wondering stare.

"What is it?" Miu sighed, failing in her attempt to ignore her.

"Kenichi," Shigure said immediately. "I'm... curious about what... happened."

"Is that all you people can think about?" Miu tittered anxiously, twiddling her thumbs in obvious avoidance. "I mean, more goes on in our lives than... all that stuff!"

"The other stuff... isn't as... interesting," Shigure pointed out flatly. "Something happened. I... can tell."

"What makes you think that?!" Miu jumped.

"Stop trying... to avoid it. I'll get it out of you," Shigure gestured to the kitchen knife in her hand. "One way... or another."

"You can't scare me with that anymore," Miu crossed her arms. "But since you really want to know, I guess I'll just give you the highlights."

"That... would be nice," she turned back to the cutting board, swiping the vegetables from it onto the pan where the beginnings of the sauce lay.

Miu revealed to Shigure that in her discussion with Kenichi about their future she'd realized that there was no point in waiting any longer since her grandfather could not possibly test Kenichi now, and they couldn't be expected to wait forever to start their relationship as permanent mates.

"So... you agreed?" Shigure blinked. "Are you... engaged?"

"No! No..." Miu sighed with a small grin. "No, we're not yet."

"Yet..." Shigure smiled just as slightly. Although she was not particularly feminine, Shigure did enjoy listening to Miu's love talk. She hadn't had much opportunity or desire to have a romantic life of her own, and just knowing someone who had as much drama as Miu did was refreshing to her.

Miu's heart beat erratically just at the thought. She didn't have to wait much longer.

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama had a different topic on his mind.

He paced the dojo, waiting for his peculiar disciple to arrive. He had been thinking for quite some time about how to ask her about this, and he, being a novelist, only needed time to find the perfect words to assault her with.

When Lisa did arrive, she'd already showered at her father's house and no traces of her training with Rimi were evident other than her muscle pain, and even History's Strongest Disciple couldn't sense that.

Sakaki opened another bottle. He sat perched on the beams near the ceiling, perfectly concealed from Lisa. Of course, Kenichi knew he was there the whole time but did not care, since their conversation did not necessarily have to be a private one.

"Lisa," Kenichi started, hoping his tone was a serious but not intimidating one. "We've gotta talk." Lisa stiffened briefly but instantly relaxed, walking towards him calmly and without nervousness. Kenichi made a note of her reaction in the back of his mind, trying to make a list of the things she did that were strange or suspicious.

"Yes, master?" she asked politely. "What is it?"

"Listen," he said, recalling his plan from earlier. "We have both been acting different from normal since we got here. Do you agree?"

"Yes," Lisa said slowly, also wary of the master just as he was of her.

"Well," Kenichi asked Lisa to sit beside him. She did, gingerly folding her skirt under her legs. "I want you to know that it's okay for you to feel uncomfortable; you're in a brand new environment and the idea of spending a lot of time in one place is new for you."

"I'm fine, really," Lisa insisted.

"I know! I'm very happy with how well you've adjusted to being here," Kenichi smiled quickly before returning to his serious stance. "But lately I've noticed that you've been a little distracted and... acting strange. I just want to know what's been going on."

"N-Nothing's been going on," Lisa answered.

"Lisa, please tell me," he implored. "We both know you've been acting differently lately. I just want to know why."

"I really don't want to tell you, Ken-sensei," Lisa said desperately.

"Why? Don't let me assume the worst, Lisa," Kenichi said sadly. "I just need to know that you're okay and-"

"I got my first period!" Lisa blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

Sakaki sprayed the alcohol in his mouth in shock and attempted to stifle his coughs.

Kenichi froze, not responding, his face turning bright red then bone pale. All the data he'd collected on Lisa's behaviors were instantly thrown out the window without second review; he did not even want to begin to discuss anything like that, and now he pitied himself for even getting himself into this situation.

"O-oh, uh-"

"You don't have to respond, master," Lisa said, standing quickly to leave. "I'm sorry if I've been strange lately, but I've been trying to adjust to going through my normal life with-"

"I-I-I'm just glad that you're alright," Kenichi didn't meet her eyes, flustered and looking all around, everywhere but Lisa.

"Goodbye," Lisa hopped out of the dojo and raced to her room where she could let out a sigh of relief. Her excuse hadn't been a total lie; she had reached that stage of her life not long ago, about a month before arriving in Kenichi's hometown. However, she was not the sort of girl to have troubles getting used to something that didn't hurt that much for her and was mostly just discomfort.

"Well," Sakaki said with clipped words to Kenichi. "That was interesting."

"It was," his disciple croaked in response. He let out a breath and rubbed his head. "I guess that's one less thing to worry about. Damn it, I made her really uncomfortable."

"What about me, huh?" Sakaki mumbled. "You kinda made _me_ uncomfortable!"

"It's your fault for eavesdropping," Kenichi pointed out.

"_What?! _Say that again, I dare you!"

_She lied to him_, Sakaki thought while Kenichi laughed at his empty threat. _Why would she lie? That squirt promised me she'd tell him everything eventually! Why avoid it now?_

* * *

Ma Kenichi, in an attempt to make their frigid friendship and temperate one, took Tsubasa with him one day to eat ramen on one of his many gluttonous expeditions.

"I don't get why you people are so obsessed," Tsubasa noted as she split her chopsticks to begin her meal. "I mean, ramen is good, but it's just noodles!"

"No, my lady, you do not understand," Ma Kenichi wafted the rising steam to his face charmingly and sniffed it pleasantly. "It's not just the noodles. It's the entire culture revolving around the noodles, and the memories that are made when eating the noodles!" He glanced up sheepishly. "And who you're with when you're eating the noodles."

"Well, I'm grateful, then," Tsubasa smiled playfully. "You allowed me into your precious world of ramen."

They cherished their time, as if they dreaded the minute they would have to leave, and savored every moment of being together.

Ma Kenichi, in a brilliant show of chivalry, decided to walk her home despite the sure thrashing he would get from Miu if he was late to dinner again (but it also gave him time to digest the ramen before eating a second meal).

They chattered happily most of the way there, and he was in the middle of a sentence when he noticed Tsubasa's face had gone pale and her face showed anticipation of a destructive ordeal.

"What's wrong?" he asked, following her gaze to directly in front of them. Then he saw who was walking towards them.

Eri Kuroki. She didn't even seem to be going anywhere; she was just walking towards them for no other purpose than to frighten Tsubasa, or at least to make her awkward.

"Good evening, Ma Kenichi," Eri smiled antagonistically. She nodded to Tsubasa in greeting. "Tomoko."

"Hello, Eri," Tsubasa looked down quickly, her grip on Ma Kenichi's arm tightening. The Chinese boy stared at Tsubasa, then turned to Eri with anger. Before he could say anything to the vice president, she continued. "Thank you for talking with me the other day. It was very helpful."

"How so?" Eri's smile, which had originally been filled with sadistic satisfaction, now bore its usual cold, knowing quality.

"It told me a lot about how you perceive those around you," Tsubasa continued, her eyes darkening. "And I need to understand my superiors, right?"

Tsubasa and Eri stared each other down. Ma Kenichi was about to lunge at Eri, but the class president tightened her grip on his arm even more, this time in reassurance.

"Of course," Eri smiled without kindness. "I'll see you in school."

She walked past them and away.

Ma Kenichi turned to Tsubasa immediately when she was out of earshot.

"Man, I wish I'd hit her!" he fumed. Tsubasa's eyes lit up warmly because she knew that he meant to protect her. She smiled softly, but voiced the opinion the class president should have.

"Idiot. You're supposed to respect your superiors," she said, flicking his forehead. "Don't go starting a fight you can't win."

"I could take her in a fight! You doubt me?" Ma Kenichi looked offended.

"Stupid! That's not what I mean!" Tsubasa laughed. "If you fight, you'll gt in trouble! Plus, she's the second strongest person in the school! There's no way you'd beat her anyways!"

"What? That's outrageous!" Ma Kenichi gestured wildly in restlessness. "Who's the strongest, then?"

"Me."

Tsubasa and Ma Kenichi spun around to locate the source of the voice. Ma Kenichi already recognized it, but Tsubasa hadn't heard it in over a year and couldn't have known who it was.

"Ah! You're the president guy!" Ma Kenichi exclaimed, pointing at him with one hand and pointing at his own nose with the other.

"You..." Tsubasa was stunned into silence, her blood running cold.

"Tomoko," the President nodded his greeting to the girl, then he turned back to Ma Kenichi. "Kenichi. Hello."

"What are you doing here?" Ma Kenichi asked with a congenial smile. The President was silent for a moment, slightly off-put by his friendliness, but responded anyways with the same emotionless-ness that everyone was used to.

"Thought I'd say hi," he said blankly. "I saw you guys walking. You and Tomoko make a good couple, Kenichi. She'll make a good bride."

"Yep!" Ma Kenichi smiled widely, blushing a little. Tsubasa's face suddenly bore a stunning resemblance to a ripe tomato. "But we're not dating yet."

"Oh," the President answered. "You might as well make it official. You look like a couple anyways."

"I'm getting there," Ma Kenichi rubbed his head with a chuckle.

"How have you been, Tomoko? I haven't seen you since Midori's funeral," he turned to Tsubasa. She tried to hide behind Ma Kenichi, and he instantly stood completely in front of her. The President, not getting an answer from her, turned back to Ma Kenichi.

"I guess I'll see you later, huh?" Ma Kenichi smiled warily, shielding Tsubasa protectively.

"Yes." The President responded before turning to jog away. "Definitely."

He disappeared.

Tsubasa stepped out from behind Ma Kenichi, her face still bright red from the earlier conversation. She looked down, and the two continued walking in silence.

"So do you have a past with him?" Ma Kenichi asked awkwardly, his face betraying slight jealously that the president knew something about her that he didn't.

"Yes, our connection was through Midori Niijima," Tsubasa responded. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"What do you know about him other than that?" Ma Kenichi probed softly.

"Well, I think he's from Egypt, and-"

"Whoa, whoa," Ma Kenichi held up his hands. "Egypt? You mean he's not from Japan?"

"He doesn't even look one bit Japanese," Tsubasa answered flatly. "I can't believe you didn't notice. Anyways, obviously he's a martial artist. I think I heard somewhere that he trained in China when he was younger, but I might have heard wrong."

"Trained in China?" Ma Kenichi blinked. _Is that where I know him from? Did I know him in China?_

"Yeah. I think he first came here to learn something about martial arts, too," she continued. "Since this town has a history of famous martial artists, plus that big dojo with the scary buff guys in it is probably attractive to martial artists."

"Ryouzanpaku," Ma Kenichi nodded. "I live there."

"Eh?!" Tsubasa jerked back in surprise. "When were you planning on sharing that little fact?!"

"It's not a big deal," he shrugged. "Uncle Shirahama and Miu-san lived there when they went to high school, too!"

"Why do you know so many martial artists?" Tsubasa groaned. "You're a confusing guy, Ma Kenichi."

"Don't worry," he smiled with a blush. "I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon, so you'll have an eternity to figure me out."

* * *

As usual, Lisa ate lunch with the student council. Since she converted to Satsujinken, the conversation during that period was much more lively and not as stiff.

"She was _amazing_!" Haru waved her hands frantically. "She was like, _whoosh! _And take this, and that, and then I was, like, down!"

"Great story, man," Eri said flatly.

"I _know!_" Haru beamed. "Lisa is so-o-o fantastic!"

"Isn't she just, though?" Katsuo agreed enthusiastically. "I mean, she's a martial arts genius! And she's also smart, and cute, and-"

"Please, don't blow this out of proportion," Lisa shook her head at him. "It's not that big a deal."

"_And she's modest_!" Haru and Katsuo raved simultaneously.

"Calm down, brats," the 2nd year representative snarled. "She's not that great."

"You're just jealous because she's nicer and cuter and cooler and better than you!" Katsuo stuck his tongue out childishly.

"Katsuo," Eri said sharply. He withered under her gaze and calmed down. Eri turned her gaze to Lisa. "You're success will be greatly celebrated. Haru is definitely deserving of her position in Yoakeko, and that you were able to defeat her with just a few months of Satsujinken training is very impressive."

"Thank you, Eri," Lisa bowed her head sincerely.

"Just so you know, we all hope you get in," Haru cheered.

"We're on you're side, Lisa!" Katsuo beamed. "Good luck! We're rooting for you!"

"Even as one of us, whether it be you or me, falls in defeat," Eri said with a smile. "I will hope the fights go in your favor."

Lisa blinked. She looked at Eri, then turned her gaze to Haru, then to Katsuo. She looked down, then at each of them again.

Lisa smiled.

The members of the student council had never seen her smile before. Katsuo blushed madly, locking the memory in his head forever.

Just then, the bell signaled the end of lunch and the martial artists swiftly packed up their bentos and adjourned back to their class rooms. Lisa, who was still affected by their support, sat frozen in place as the others rushed back to class.

Except for one member. Lisa glanced at him in surprise and examined him.

His hair was dark blond, his bangs so long that Lisa couldn't see his eyes from any angle she tried. His mouth showed no smile nor frown, and he remained still as if he had no intention of ever moving to class. Other than that, there was nothing else to see. His hair covered the rest of his face, and everything else visual about him was average.

"Aren't you the 3rd year representative?" Lisa asked curiously.

He nodded, remaining silent.

"What's your name?" she asked. _This is strange_, Lisa thought. It was not typical for her to be the vocal half of a conversation.

He didn't answer, instead drawing the characters for his name in the dust on the floor.

"Tommii Hitotsu," Lisa read out loud. "Is that how you pronounce that kanji?" He nodded slowly. "Can I call you Tommii?"

Tommii nodded again.

"You don't talk," Lisa stated the fact. "That's okay. People say I should talk more, so maybe being with you will bring out more words." She forgot all about returning to class and instead sat again beside him.

He looked up. Lisa didn't know how he could see through the veil of blond hair in front of his eyes, but she could feel his gaze on her like a feather duster brushing her face. Tommii looked back down.

"I have a little brother," Lisa started. "He's 3 years old and he doesn't talk either. I haven't met him, but my mother says that he was born mute. I think that's really weird since he has my father's genes, and my father loves to sing."

Tommii nodded. Lisa took this as a signal that he was listening.

"I don't really know why I'm talking so much," Lisa admitted. "I'm usually the quiet one. I guess you've noticed from lunch conversations. I don't say much. Are you unable to talk like my brother?"

Tommii shook his head, indicating that he didn't speak by choice.

"I would ask why, then, but I guess you won't answer," Lisa looked back down. "You're a year older than me. Do you know a Chinese boy named Ma Kenichi? Is he in your class?"

He nodded.

"He's a childhood friend," Lisa explained. "He used to have a big crush on me. It wasn't hard to tell. But recently he met another girl, and I think he likes her now. That's good. I don't really think of him that way, anyways. Do you know Tomoko Tsubasa? She's your class president, right?"

Tommii nodded again.

"Yeah. That's the girl he likes now," she said. "I'm glad, but I guess it makes me feel a little left behind." Lisa paused and glanced at Tommii. "Are you going to challenge me to a fight later?"

Tommii didn't respond for a moment, but eventually nodded after a long pause of silence.

"Aren't you going to challenge me now?" Lisa asked with confusion.

To this, Tommii leaped to his feet, startling Lisa, and walked calmly and majestically back to his classroom.


	13. Interlude:Part 1:Tales of Yoakeko

Chapter 13

Interlude: Part 1: Tales of Yoakeko

_**Author's Note: This chapter's general organization is inspired by an episode in season 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender, namely the Tales of Ba Sing Se in which each of the characters have a small tale or narrative. It could be considered an artfully veiled filler chapter.**_

_**Thank You,**_

_**-JubJub**_

* * *

_The Tale of Katsuo and Lisa_

"A concert?" Lisa blinked, the lunch period mostly over. The rest of the student council was already filing back to their classrooms, but Katsuo had bounded over to Lisa and popped the question.

"Yeah! It'll be lots of fun, and a pretty good band is playing," he smiled sheepishly. "I thought since, you know, you've been dealing with a lot lately it might be a good breather!"

"You're right," Lisa nodded slowly. "We should relax a bit between battles. I'll go with you."

So that weekend the two 2nd years in middle school went to a concert at a festival not far out of town. Lisa was dressed casually, which Katsuo did not get to witness often, and he was glad to see that she was getting comfortable around him.

The festival was immense, with dozens of booths and games lining either sides of the path, where throngs of excited people bobbed to and fro throughout them.

"Agh..." Katsuo exclaimed, the overcrowded people shoving him. He realized that he could no longer see Lisa! He called her name in panic.

He felt her grab his hand.

"We need to stay together," she said dully. "I guess we should hold on to each other until we get to the place of the concert." Katsuo eyed her with awe and admiration, the creeping warmth of a blush spreading across his face.

"Yeah," he agreed curtly. "But... wasn't the point to relax? Don't you want to play games and stuff?" Lisa blinked, her face one of embarrassment.

"I forgot about that," she confessed. "I guess we should play."

"Let's try this one," Katsuo tugged on her hand and gestured to one that involved knocking pins down with a ball. "We could make it a competition if you like!"

"Of course!" Lisa beamed. Katsuo blinked in confusion. What was going on?

"Do you... like these games?" he asked.

"Well, this is pretty much a universal game," she explained. "We had this in America, Brazil, China, and pretty much everywhere! It's kind of nice to see something that translates into every culture." Katsuo smiled.

"Let's play," he passed a few bills to the attendant and they were told to start.

Katsuo did his very best; to be honest, his aim when it came to flying projectiles was average at best, and he was absolutely certain that Lisa would win easily.

It was not so; as it turns out, this game, although one of her favorites, was possibly Lisa's worst subject. She only knocked down one pin, and it was purely because of the wind created when the ball whizzed past it.

"I didn't think there was _anything _you weren't good at!" Katsuo remarked afterward, chuckling a little bit as they munched on their typical fried festival food. "I don't mean any disrespect, but... wow!"

"If I practice enough, I'm sure to become good," Lisa smiled. "What are we going to play next?"

Katsuo was on cloud 9. He had never seen Lisa this excited before, and it gave him immeasurable delight to see her show a side of herself that no one else had seen. They played several other games, each resulting in Katsuo's victory. However, Lisa always held the prize in the end.

"Lisa, it's time to go to the concert; it's about to start!" no longer shy, Katsuo took Lisa's hand and ran, tugging her along, all the way to where the show would be put on.

"I've never been to a concert before; what do we do?" she asked.

"Really?" Katsuo was surprised. He clutched her hand tightly. "The band is just here for our enjoyment. Most people who know the songs start singing along, or kind of moving along with the beat. But at these, you can do whatever you want."

Then the band came on, and the song was exciting and powerful. Even Lisa, who could not sense ki, noticed the energy in the room. Katsuo and Lisa both bounced up and down in time with the music, accompanying the other hundred or so fans that were doing the same.

"I had the most amazing time!" Katsuo raved, still on an energy high. Then his face darkened. "But... I guess we'll have to go back now. We'll have to... part ways." He fell silent for a few moments. Lisa observed his face; he was a peculiar boy. After all, he'd only just met her when he seemed to decide that they would be friends. It was refreshing to know that kindness was still alive, and that people like Katsuo still existed.

"Come on," Lisa pulled him along. "Let's go someplace."

"Where are we going?" Katsuo could tell that they weren't headed home.

"I passed through here on my way to Ryouzanpaku," Lisa explained. "I know a place we could go."

"What for?" he asked blankly.

"You brought me here, and I enjoyed it," she said. "Now I want to show you somewhere."

They arrived at a brilliant, moonlit pond (since it was night time by now) with tall lamp posts shimmering magically against the seemingly black, still water.

"Wow," Katsuo gasped breathlessly. "This is... amazing."

"I know," Lisa sighed and sat down. "It is."

"What's wrong?" he asked with concern and sat down beside her. "Didn't you have fun? Why do you seem so sad?"

"It's just... I know that when we get back, we'll have to fight," Lisa informed him. "I'm not in Yoakeko yet; we'll have to battle, and one of us is going to lose."

"And one of us is gonna win," Katsuo reminded her. "Let's focus on the happiness of victory instead of the sadness of defeat, okay?"

Lisa smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. He was definitely a good friend.

* * *

_The Tale of Eri and the President_

When the President first arrived in Japan, he was immediately brought into Yoakeko and introduced to Eri, the disciple of the head of Yoake.

They became very close and were nearly childhood friends; in fact, if it weren't for the constant suspicions towards each other, they would probably be akin to siblings.

The President and Eri were the kind of kids who would constantly dream about what their futures would be like; as 10-year-olds, this was a strange quirk.

"When I get older, I want to be stronger than Kenichi Shirahama," the President boasted.

"Oh yeah? I'm gonna be stronger than Miu Fuurinji!" Eri stuck her elementary-kid tongue out childishly.

"But Shirahama is stronger!"

"Nuh-uh! Fuurinji is always stronger! She's the daughter of Saiga Fuurinji! Of course she's stronger!"

"But she's a girl!" The President crossed his arms stubbornly. "Shirahama is stronger than that _girl_!"

"Girls are stronger than guys!" Eri shrieked.

"Give me one example of a girl that was stronger than a guy."

"Kisara Nanjo, Chikage Kushinada, Freya, Miu Fuurinji- they were all way stronger than than stupid Judo guy in the Shinpaku Alliance," Eri rattled off the names easily, since she was fascinated by the alliance and enjoyed learning about it's officers. "I think his name was Ukita. He's weak."

"Okay. I don't know who half of those people are," The President stuck up a hand in her face. "Swerve."

"Fight me right now!" Eri demanded. "We'll see who's stronger!" The President fell silent.

"You don't want to do that, Eri."

"Yeah, I do! Don't tell me what I do or don't want to do! Let's fight! It doesn't matter who wins; I'm mad, and I want to fight!" she boiled. _If he refuses to fight, I swear to God..._

"Fine," The President let out an annoyed breath. "Let's do this."

Eri cartwheeled over to him, sending her legs flying in a formless attack.

"You haven't done technique training yet. That will be fatal," The President said. He balled his fists into his boxing stance and shot out a fist, calling out the name of a technique he'd learned from his master in China.

Eri half dodged, but she was clipped and started bleeding immediately, her cute girlish ponytail instantly coming undone.

"That's why I didn't want to fight you," he said. "Train harder. You'll get strong enough to give me a hard time eventually."

"I'm not done yet!" Eri said, scrambling to her feet and taking up a defensive stance. "I'm still mad!" The President smiled and walked over to her slowly, resting his hand on her head.

"I take it back," he said softly. "Girls are strong." Eri smiled.

"Damn straight!"

"Hey! Watch your language!"

* * *

_The Tale of Haru_

The small girl pressed her face against the glass of the window, her large eyes wide with desire.

"Hey, you might as well quit now," a rude fellow window shopper noted sourly. "That cell phone costs more than any parent will spend on a brat." He sped away before she could reply.

"I am _not_ a brat," Haru mumbled. "I'm a 1st year in middle school! And by golly, I'll get that phone!"

For the next few days, she did all she could to raise enough money to buy it herself, just to prove that she didn't even need her parents' money to pay for the phone.

Her job walking dogs, while lucrative, was definitely more trouble than it was worth and she gave it up.

Her lemonade stand was a disaster since she'd accidentally added salt rather than sugar.

The cookies she intended to sell turned out completely bland and tasteless, which indicated that Haru should avoid any type of baking altogether.

She washed dishes for several older women who resented the chore, which was very profitable at the end of the day.

By that time she was tired, but when she counted all the money she'd earned in the past few days, she realized that altogether it didn't even cover a fraction of the price of the phone.

Haru sat frozen for a long while, her vision blurry with tears.

"B-but," she whimpered to herself. "I worked so hard! It'll take a million years to raise all that money! I really am useless after all." Depressed, self-loathing and dreading feelings almost took over.

Then she realized: She didn't need a new phone.

Haru thought about this for some time, then stood up and ran to the convenience store, placing six boxes of candy on the counter. The funds she used to purchase all this came, of course, from her plethora of mediocre jobs.

She spent the rest of the weekend eating the candy, memories of the phone long gone.

And that is what Kihara Haru is like.

* * *

_The Tale of Tommii_

The day Lisa and Tanimoto arrived in town was the same day that Midori Niijima passed away.

Tommii stood up, his long legs throbbing. He'd been kneeling before the grave of Midori Niijima for almost nine hours. He told himself that he could've broken twelve hours, but Haruo Niijima and his wife arrived and Tommii didn't want them to know he'd been there.

He strode down the pathway to his home, his face unreadable and his eyes unreachable. Everyone who passed by him stared with an uncomfortable, unsettled feeling. Tommii was creepy; he knew they thought so and made no attempt to shift that assertion.

A car drove past him, headed in the opposite direction. It was going much too fast, and Tommii knew that it would never make the sharp turn up ahead; instead, the car and it's driver would plummet down an 80-foot hill.

He leaped into action.

Tommii instantly turned the other way and ran as fast as he could; one of his greatest positive points in martial arts was his speed, and he charged forward to catch up with the speeding car, his legs screaming with strain as he pushed velocities he'd never reached before.

Although most would deem it impossible, he caught up with the car ('cause that's just how HSDK rolls), and just in time too.

He placed himself in the path of the car and let it crash into him, his toes gripping a manhole cover as an homage to Akisame Koetsuji's method for meeting resistance.

Tommii had managed to slow the car down enough so that it wouldn't crash, much to his relief.

The driver yelled angrily, ranting about crazy kids, jumping out into the road for no reason. He didn't even stop to ask if Tommii was alright, and only thought of berating him for getting in his way.

Bystanders, too, sided with the angry driver. _It's crazy to jump out into the road. What was he thinking? Is he slow? Was he trying to kill himself?_

The driver, now perfectly safe, drove off, barely making the sharp turn and zipping down the street at, again, unsafe speeds.

Murmurs from onlookers glanced off of Tommii like rain off a duck as he walked away, hands bleeding from stopping the car, unappreciated but a hero.

* * *

_**Author's note: This chapter is just part 1 of the additional stories thing. Not the next chapter, but soon I will include another more lengthy story that will probably take up the span of an entire chapter. **_

_**Thank you for reading this chapter:**_

_**-JubJub**_


	14. Epincion

Chapter 14

Epincion

* * *

_**Author's Note: As an apology for the abnormally short chapter a few days ago, I'm uploading this one early. Sorry for the inconvenience if there in fact was one.**_

_**-JubJub**_

* * *

"Master," Eri bowed, setting her bag down. "I did my conditioning this morning. I'm here for me lesson."

The head of Yoake spun dramatically to see her student and smiled broadly.

"Hello, Eri darling," Rachel Stanley greeted her sweetly. "I was just trying on masks and decided that this red-and-yellow one suits me a lot better than that red-and-orange one, don't you think?"

"They both make you very noticeable," Eri assured with a slight smile. "But I agree, the yellow one is better."

"Thanks," Rachel properly put the mask on, flipping her massive head of blond hair over her shoulder. "Now, before your lesson, I want to discuss something with you."

"Go on," Eri nodded, tying her long, dark hair in a side pony-tail in preparation for her training.

"Well, there's this really annoying master with a couple disciples that thinks he's the boss of this town," Rachel rolled her eyes. "But, duh, we're stronger! And to prove that to him, we want to show him that even our little baby Yoakeko disciples can take them down."

"You want me to take the student council with me," Eri guessed.

"No," Rachel raised a finger dramatically, then put up two others to join it. "Three. I want you, that president guy, and Katsuo Yamashita to take down this guy. I will not allow for any of your subordinates to join you, nor anyone else. That includes Lisa Kugenin, got it?"

"Why just the three of us? The risk is enormous since we're fighting a master," Eri reminded her.

"That's true," Rachel nodded. "But you'll be fine. That president of yours is actually pretty good. You underestimate yourself; there's nothing to worry about!"

"Thank you master," Eri smiled graciously.

"And now, I need to train you so you don't make me look like a total loser of a sensei!" Rachel hopped up excitedly and cartwheeled to their dojo, her disciple following her calmly close at hand. "We can't have the disciple of the Yoake head losing a fight, now can we?"

* * *

"Oh! Hey!" Ma Kenichi blinked in surprise when he ran into Katsuo in the hallway.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Katsuo smiled charmingly.

For some reason, the two didn't run into each other often and it was rare for them to be in the same at the same time. However, they both enjoyed each others' company and didn't mind a civil conversation every once in a while.

"Yeah. You're friends with Lisa, right? She doesn't say much about her friends, so I'm just pickin' up bits and pieces here," Ma Kenichi offered. Katsuo's gaze grew dark.

"Yeah, I'm friends with Lisa," Katsuo confirmed. Then he looked around, as if to check if anyone was watching them. "Can you follow me?"

Ma Kenichi agreed, and soon after Katsuo had brought him out behind the school, the same place where Haru and Lisa had fought the past week.

"What's up?" Ma Kenichi asked, slightly put off that Katsuo was being so serious despite the fact that they weren't very close friends or anything. "Something bothering you?"

"You could say that," Katsuo said earnestly. "You could say that I'm a little suspicious of you."

"Suspicious? Of me? What for?" Ma Kenichi blinked in confusion.

"Well, you see," he started, turning away from him dramatically. "Lisa and I have been very close... friends as of late, and I wanted to know where you stand with her."

"I'm not sure what you mean. We're childhood friends," Ma Kenichi reminded him.

"That's just what I mean!" Katsuo pointed accusingly at him. "You probably know her better than anyone; you know the things she wouldn't tell her master and you spend more time with her than both her parents combined! There's no way you could be around someone so amazing and not have feelings!"

"Oh, that!" Ma Kenichi burst out laughing. "I thought you were talking about something serious! Yeah, to answer your question, I did like Lisa for most of my childhood."

"I knew it."

"Bu-u-ut!" he raised a finger defensively. "I do not like her anymore, nor do I have the intention of liking her in the future. There's someone else I've got my sights on."

"Yeah, Tomoko Tsubasa," Katsuo nodded. "I thought that might be the case if you didn't like Lisa. You guys are too cozy for nothing to be going on."

"I don't like the way you put that, but I guess you're right," Ma Kenichi shrugged. "Anyways, why do you want to know? I mean, it's not like I did anything particularly lovey-dovey towards her. Why do you ask?"

"Oh! Well, I-I just," Katsuo stammered. "was curious?"

"Ah! Curiosity got the best of you, huh?" Ma Kenichi accepted the excuse too easily.

"Idiot! That's not it! I'm in love with her!" Katsuo raved, suddenly annoyed that Ma Kenichi was so dense. "I wanted to make sure I had no competition from you!"

"Oh!" Ma Kenichi smiled. "That's nice for you. I've got to warn you though, if you think I'm dense then you've got another thing coming! Lisa's probably the most anti-romance girl in the world and I've never seen her realize it when someone likes her."

"That's alright," Katsuo grinned. "Instead of making her see that _I_ like her, I'll just make _her_ like _me._" Ma Kenichi burst out laughing again, but not meanly.

"Good luck!"

* * *

"Tommii!" Haru whined to the 3rd year representative. "Do you have a passport? I want you to take me to Russia!"

He, of course, didn't respond, but his lack of reaction indicated that he didn't deem this desire worth his time.

"Come on! My master is gonna be all kinds of mad at me for losing to Lisa, and the only way to be safe from a storm is to hide in the eye!" Haru babbled.

Tommii looked up and looked back down, shaking his head lightly.

"Why not?!" she erupted. "If you don't take me, I'll die."

He shot her a knowing "no you won't" glance.

"Ple-e-ease? I'll never ask you for anything else in my entire life! You're the only one I can turn to for these kinds of things since the President, of course, is extremely busy and Eri is mean and Katsuo won't leave Lisa and I can't impose on Lisa like that-"

Tommii touched Haru's wrist without looking up and pressed a finger to his lips. Hush, child.

"B-But..." Haru's voice trembled with sadness. "I haven't been to Russia in forever and my master is waiting for me there."

Tommii let out a breath loudly through his nose. He looked up, his bangs still shielding his eyes, and eyed her. Haru sagged in defeat.

"Yeah, I know," Haru whimpered. "I shouldn't inconvenience you right before your battle with Lisa. But I thought you might enjoy it."

There was no change in Tommii's expression when he wrapped his hand around Haru's small wrist and pulled her towards him, hugging her and then kissing her forehead. Then he released her and she tumbled backwards. The 1st year representative smiled widely.

"Maybe later! Got it!" She skipped merrily away.

Tommii sighed. His challenge had to be issued soon. It was such a pain. To be honest, fighting was the last thing he wanted to do. However, if he refused to fight he would lose the respect of Yoakeko, which he'd sacrificed so much to get.

He could still afford to put off the challenge a little longer.

* * *

Moments when Tsubasa was alone were rare; often Ma Kenichi walked her to and from school, pretty much monopolizing all of her time. On weekends, though, Ma Kenichi had training sessions with Ma Kensei and, of course, was unavailable to spend time with her.

She visited Midori Niijima's grave again. It was spotless, as usual, since Tsubasa visited and cleaned it every week. Offerings, flowers and small, nonperishable dishes of foods Midori had always loved were displayed artfully, the work of his parents. The only two beings who visited the grave more often than Tsubasa was Haruo and Yuka Niijima.

At the end of her visit she climbed stiffly to her feet.

When she turned to leave, she saw a man blocking the exit of the cemetery. Tsubasa thought he looked frightening, but oddly, she didn't feel afraid of him.

He wore a long black hood that fell over his eyes, perfectly messy yellow hair falling before his eyes like tips of paintbrushes. Tsubasa thought he looked roughly 30, old enough to be her father. His arms were crossed threateningly, his arms appearing firm and strong even through the cloth of his cloak.

"Do you need something?" Tsubasa asked politely, as was her habit for being kind towards adults.

"Yeah," his voice was low and impressively manly. "I'm here to talk to you, kid."

"I see," she blinked in surprise. "May I ask who you are?"

"I doubt it matters since non-martial artists haven't heard of me," he grumbled. "But it is customary to introduce yourself. My name is Tanimoto Natsu, and I'm-"

"Ah! Tani-sensei!" Tsubasa instantly lit up and smiled. "Ma Kenichi talks about you a lot!"

"I hate that stupid brat," he spat to himself. "Anyways, you're Tomoko Tsubasa. You've been getting kind of cozy with him, haven't you?"

"I don't know what you mean," she yelped in response, her face turning pink.

"Don't be coy," he snapped. "I'm not blind; I can see what's happening."

"Why are you here, Tani-sensei?" Tsubasa asked, nervous but bold.

"I'm here," he started, ignoring the way she'd addressed him. "Because you're here."

"Huh?"

"Look around," he stretched his arms. "You visit a cemetery every week. For who? For a guy who wasn't even in your class and died over a year ago."

"What exactly are you asking?" Tsubasa's patience was running out, but she managed to maintain her cool.

"My brat disciple likes you. Don't even try to act surprised because everyone saw it coming," he said. "I have no doubt that you at least think he's a good guy despite his annoying quirks. Am I right?"

"Yes."

"But you keep coming here. So you can't make yourself forget this Niijima kid, right?"

"What?"

"Essentially, you need to make a choice," Tanimoto crossed his arms again. "You need to either live in the past with the Niijima kid or live in the present with everyone else."

"You're asking me to forget about Midori Niijima?" Tsubasa demanded, now abandoning politeness and sticking to abrasiveness. "He was one of my best friend since I was in elementary school. He was my boyfriend for the last year he was alive. He was my first time. You're telling me to forget about him?"

"I can't believe I have to explain this to you," Tanimoto rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. "Repeat after me: Midori Niijima is dead."

"M-Midori Niijima is... dead."

"Listen, kid. The alien spawn isn't coming back to life. It's just pathetic how much you keep trying to pretend he's still around," he said harshly. "I've lost so many friends you couldn't count them with your fingers and toes combined. If I spent all my time visiting graves like you, I wouldn't have time to breath. And I definitely wouldn't have time to live."

"So... you want me to move on," Tsubasa asked slowly.

"No. I'm not telling you what I want you to do," he shrugged and turned to leave. "I'm telling you what your choices are. I don't give a shit which you choose."

"Ma Kenichi was right," she smiled shakily, deep in thought. "You're a really good man inside."

"Everyone keeps freaking saying that," he mumbled, and disappeared.

* * *

"Come on, guys," The President gestured to Eri and Katsuo. They all wore black, the standard color worn on missions. "Their hideout is there."

"What's the plan?" Katsuo asked. "There are three of them, and one is a master.

"I could take the disciples and you boys could take the master," Eri offered.

"Look at them," The President ordered. Katsuo and Eri turned to peak over the bush they were hiding under and saw them, two male disciples and a buff male master. "Can't you tell by their movements? The man is barely a master, but his disciples are pretty high level. Eri, you could defeat them individually, but not both together. Katsuo, you take the one on the left and Eri the one on the right."

"What about the master?"

"He's not a particularly skilled master," he said lazily. "I'll hold him off until you guys are done, then you can help me finish him off."

"Sounds like a plan!" Katsuo nodded. He and Eri exchanged a glance, but they knew from experience that they could trust the President.

The three scurried over to the hideout. Katsuo marched up to the door and knocked on the door.

One of the disciples opened it, and Katsuo immediately launched his first attack.

"Criss-Cross Strike!" he thrust his arm forward, striking the disciple's face with a powerful palm blow. "Eri! President! Go!"

The two launched into action, Eri leaping in with her legs extended.

"Diego Tick Steiner!" she called the name of her technique of the Lucha Libre style, wrapping her legs around her current opponents head and twisting her body around in an attempt to throw him off balance.

The disciple countered and attempted a jujitsu throw. _So they use Jujitsu_, Eri calculated the rest of the battle immediately. This fight was as good as over.

Katsuo realized that they were a jujitsu style just from the way they walked, but the disciple he was facing must have been at a much higher level than the other. This was unfortunate since Eri was stronger than he, but Ryuto Asamiya often said that fighting those who are stronger than you is the quickest path to being a master.

"Yamazuki!" he attempted, but the disciple was not fooled by the double punch and dodged with ease.

"Kuchiki Daoshi!" the disciple attacked, swiftly grabbing Katsuo's leg and lifting it upwards.

Katsuo tripped and fell, but caught himself with his arms and kicked his opponent in the face with the other leg. Once he released his leg, Katsuo flipped to an upright position.

_I better end this quick_, Katsuo thought, breathing heavily. _I think it's time to use that technique._

"Shintoukei!" he called warily. This was his first time using the advanced technique in battle, and he hoped dearly that it worked. He took a deep breath confidently, trusting in his training.

With one powerful strike to his opponent's chest, the disciple flew backwards. Katsuo knew that the technique had been a success, and the disciple sustained internal injuries because of the technique.

Eri was also wrapping up, and Katsuo heard the familiar sickening crack as the disciple's neck snapped under the pressure of one of Eri's attacks.

"Let's go help the President!" Katsuo called.

"Don't... bother!" the President called. The vice president and secretary turned to evaluate the situation and let out a gasp.

Both the President and the master in question were critically wounded, but both were standing. However, it was obvious that the master, in fact, was in worse shape!

"Beginner's luck, kid," he grumbled. "Don't think it means something."

"Denial. The mark of a sore loser," the President mumbled. He swallowed and took up his offensive stance once more.

The President, quickly and with no wasted energy (for he had no energy to waste), circled around the master quickly. His opponent turned to keep his eye on the President, but before he could, the punch had already been thrown.

"Meteor Straight!" The President let his fist fly, putting all his weight into that one punch, and struck the back of the man's head with dangerous speed and accuracy. The master, although wounded, turned to face the President in an attempt to counter.

"Super Tornado Uppercut!" The President punched again, striking the man's chin with astounding speed.

The master fell.

"Beginner's... luck," the master gasped out and fell unconscious. The President rolled his eyes and limped over to the body.

"It was enough to kill you," The President whispered eerily and threw a punch straight down at his neck, ending his life.

Katsuo and Eri blinked in awe and admiration of their President.

"Mission complete," the President said to them simply. "Let's go."

* * *

"Ma Kenichi," Tsubasa said one Sunday afternoon as they sat side by side on a park bench. "Do you... never mind."

"What?" he asked with an eager smile.

"It's nothing."

"Come on! Tell me!"

"Well, I just wanted to know... what you think I should do," she asked, looking down at her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"About what?" he asked, his long black braid resting over his shoulder. "Is something wrong? Did something happen?"

"It's nothing big," Tsubasa said quickly, assuming that Tanimoto didn't want Ma Kenichi to know about their conversation. "It's just... I want you to help me, but I don't know how to ask you."

"I don't even know what you want me to help you with," Ma Kenichi pointed out. "Why don't you tell me the story. Then it'll be easier for you to ask me for help, don't you think?"

"You might be right," Tsubasa agreed quietly. Then she looked up into Ma Kenichi's large, innocent, vibrant green eyes. "But I'm not sure I should tell you the story. It's pretty long."

"I've probably heard longer," he smiled. "And I want to know everything about you, Tsubasa. Don't hold back because you think I might think something bad about you, because I promise I never will."

Tsubasa closed her eyes and smiled warmly. It felt nice to be cared about again.

"Alright," she said, no longer afraid of what he might think. Tsubasa trusted him. "I'll tell you everything."


	15. Interlude: Part 2: Flame's Crepitation

Chapter 15

Interlude: Part 2: Flame's Crepitation

* * *

Tsubasa took a deep breath. Ma Kenichi watched her silently. She began her story.

* * *

Midori Niijima was an all around good kid. Since his youngest days, his first inclination was always towards Katsujinken. When the time came to choose, he didn't even consider killing. It wasn't even an option for him.

His early life was an easy one. Midori's parents didn't encourage him to practice martial arts, but he was always fascinated by it and took to watching Kisara Nanjou's dojo when there were lessons. Kisara was still a family friend of Niijima's and she always treated Midori like a younger brother (or a pet cat, as she put it).

"Kisara!" Midori said to her on his 7th birthday, his long-ish black hair falling over his bright hazel eyes. "I want to be your personal disciple!"

"Not a chance," Kisara rejected him immediately.

"What?" he blinked; he'd never considered this turn of events. "But why? I'll train really hard and I'll never slack off!"

"I know, kid," Kisara rubbed his head affectionately. "But you're a guy. In case you haven't noticed, pretty much all my disciples are girls! You don't want to have to compare yourself to them."

"That's not what I mean!" he shook his head violently. "I don't want to be in your dojo taking lessons; I want to actually be your disciple, like Ma Kenichi is Uncle Hermit's disciple!"

"Oh-ho! You want to become a serious martial artist?" Kisara smirked. "I don't think you've got the stuff, kid. You were raised by the alien and a gardener. Do you seriously think you're tough enough to handle real martial arts training?"

"Yes," he answered seriously. When Kisara looked in his eyes, she saw the passion she'd once seen in Kenichi Shirahama's eyes when he declared his dreams, principles, and goals. The same fire that drove History's Strongest Disciple was in this boy, asking to become her disciple.

"I think you should ask to train in Ryouzanpaku under those great masters," Kisara turned away. "You know they're stronger than me, and they have a history of training strong people. Granted one of them was pretty evil, but they were all strong."

"I don't want just to be strong," Midori said firmly. "I want to learn Nya-kwon-do. I want to learn from _you_."

"Why? I'm nothing special," Kisara mumbled.

"I did some research!" the Niijima boy immediately pulled out a stack of paper, clearly packed with information and statistics. "You were part of the Shinpaku Alliance when you were in high school!"

"I was practically black-mailed into that," she pointed out.

"You were a major captain and fighting force in it for several years," he went on. "And you're considered one of Miu Fuurinji's rivals in fighting force!"

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"I've seen you train your students! You're a powerful lady, and I know you'll always do what's best for your disciples!" he said.

"You've been taking manipulation lessons from your father, haven't you?"

"That's beside the point," he waved that away with a charming little boy's smile. "Will you accept me as your student?"

"No," Kisara leaped up onto the window sill. "But if you come in every day for private self-defense lessons, I can give you a few... pointers." Midori smiled widely.

Of course, she ended up teaching him everything she could.

* * *

Tsubasa first met him in school; he was a 2nd year and she a 1st year in middle school. Midori, of course, was already a male idol. He was the editor of the school newspaper and a hugely popular reporter in it. The girls called him Prince Midori lovingly, and he was kind to everyone that approached him.

Tsubasa didn't care about him; he was just another student to her, and she didn't treat him with any special kind of respect just because he was her sempai.

During lunch break, the students were always forbidden to exit the campus. This was an easy rule to follow unless you were Midori and you wished to train during lunch.

Tsubasa, being a stickler for the rules, saw him walking out the gates and rushed out to stop him.

"Hey! You!" Tsubasa yelled loudly to get his attention. He turned around in surprise, and he was even more surprised when he saw that the one yelling was a 1st year girl. "You're not supposed to be out here! What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry!" he bowed completely, making a 90 degree angle with his body in humility. "But I need to go train with my master right now! Please, I'm begging you to let me go!"

"No way, buster!" she crossed her arms. "That's not allowed on so many levels! First, no leaving school grounds! Second, no martial arts! Third-"

"Fine!" he held up his hands. "I'll come back in! But please don't tell!"

"Sure," Tsubasa shrugged and went back inside. "If you're not breaking any rules, what is there to tell?"

"Thank you!" he called, following her into the building.

Midori thought Tsubasa was an interesting girl. She was strict, spunky, and to top it all off, she was adorable. Her defiance was impressive, and he liked her.

Thus forth, he made it a habit of being close to her. Not in a creepy stalker way, but whenever they passed each other he would smile and wave. Their club activities coincided suspiciously.

Their path to friendship was gradual, seamless, and concrete.

"Midori," Tsubasa asked him one time, because it didn't take long for them to address each other by their first names. "People think we spend too much time together for there not to be... a relationship."

"Do they, now?" he hummed jovially. "Good for them. They seem to have found a great talent in spreading rumors!"

"I don't want your reputation to suffer because of me!" she tugged his arm to stop him from walking on. "You have to spend time with your other friends!"

"What reputation? What friends?" he asked blankly.

"You know!" she punched him lightly but sharply in the arm. "You've dealt with a lot of crap to keep up your Prince Midori thing, and you can't put that at risk!"

"Oh, you think I _try_ to have a reputation," he realized. "No, Tomoko, I assure you that this whole 'Prince Midori' business is entirely their imagination; I'm not especially cool or anything. They just wanted something to talk about, and I guess I was the first option."

"That's not the point," Tsubasa scolded. "It's important to be on good terms with people so they won't give you trouble when your studying! Next year you're going to be taking your high school entry exams!"

"Wow, you have a one-track study mind, don't you?" he laughed. "I don't care what high school I get into! If it's a bad one, then I'll have more time to train with Kisara-sensei!"

"Fool!" Tsubasa kicked him harshly in the shin. Midori laughed more and feigned pain. "Get serious about your grades, you bum! This is your future your talking about!"

"I only have a few goals for my future," he insisted with a small chuckle, turning to face Tsubasa, his hazel eyes warm and sincere. "And none of them are far out of my reach."

Tsubasa blinked and blushed, then turned away in embarrassment.

"W-well anyways!" she walked ahead of him, her movements stiff and awkward. "Just focus a little, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Midori waved goodbye as he turned to go home.

That year ended smoothly; although they were not an established couple, everyone pretty much took it for granted that they were together. One did not simply pick on Tsubasa without messing with Prince Midori.

When Tsubasa became a 2nd year, the new year came with new students, and that always spelled always trouble.

* * *

There were four new transfer students; three 2nd years and a 3rd year.

Two of the three 2nd years were in Tsubasa's class.

One was unremarkable and boring, with straight pale blond hair and happy brown eyes. His name was Tommii Hitotsu.

The second was a beautiful girl, and she was instantly an idol of the school. She had long, dark brown hair and sparkling green eyes, soft skin and a thin waist with the most developed breasts in their grade. Her name was Eri Kuroki.

Eri did not like authority above her, and she particularly didn't like Tsubasa. She was so weak, and for someone of her caliber to be the class president was an offense against nature in Eri's book. She took to picking on her, but Eri's idol-status meant that no one told Midori about it. Tsubasa, the prideful girl, would never confess to the bullying and suffered in silence.

Tommii, however, became close friends with Tsubasa.

"I'm Tommii," he introduced himself nervously. "I-I was just wondering w-what martial arts clubs you have at this school."

"Hush!" Tsubasa snapped quickly, looking around to make sure no one had heard him. "Listen, Tommii, there are no martial arts clubs because it's not allowed here, but this town has an extensive history of successful martial artists. Lots of them still live around here; you might like to talk to one of them if your looking for a teacher."

"Thank you!" he smiled widely. "I'll do that!"

After that, the nervous boy spent a lot of time with Tsubasa, and consequently with Midori.

The third 2nd year transfer student came from Egypt, a solemn boy with hair dyed bright red, eyes one tint lighter than the sky.

The Egyptian had a sharp glare like a sharp knife being dragged harmlessly across your skin; the slightest change in glance could cut you in two. He walked down the halls with his eyes on nothing but the air in front of him, his knives of eyes scraping dangerously on anyone that crossed his path.

He was friends with the intoxicating Eri Kuroki, which was immediately an indication that he was unsafe. However, while Eri was the kind of dangerous that was exciting and attractive, he was the cold and forbidding type. Together they were a large cloud of ill will.

* * *

That year, Yoake moved into town and started recruiting members for Yoakeko.

Two 1st years, one named Katsuo Yamashita, disappeared for two days and returned slightly happier and calmer.

Tommii Hitotsu disappeared as well, and he grew more glum; the nervous boy was still there, but when you weren't looking he would slip into a state of moroseness.

Eri Kuroki did not change much, but her teasing smirk grew more secretive and clandestine.

The Egyptian vanished altogether, and appearances at the school became rare sights to behold. He showed up only on occasions that would prevent his impending expulsion.

Unfortunately, Midori Niijima disappeared as well, and when he returned he was upset, disturbed, and not at all like himself.

* * *

Tsubasa didn't know what was going on.

Her boyfriend and next closest friend were both acting strangely.

"Okay, guys, what's going on?" Tsubasa stopped them both on the walk home from school one day. "You've been weird for a long time now."

Tommii exchanged a suspicious glance with Midori.

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Tomoko!" Midori smiled widely. It was very convincing, and would have fooled anyone other than his girlfriend. Tsubasa was not impressed.

"We're fine, really!" Tommii insisted. "They just... put one of our favorite mangas on hiatus! You know how we get..."

"You've got to stop hiding things from me!" Tsubasa said. "Maybe I can help!"

"Baby, it's nothing we can't solve on our own," Midori said calmly. "It's something between martial artists."

"Is that why that Egyptian kid and Eri Kuroki disappeared too?" Tsubasa asked stubbornly. "And where did you guys go, anyways?"

"Why do you want to know so bad, anyhow?" Tommii asked gently.

"Because whatever this is will effect me too!" Tsubasa said. Tommii and Midori's eyes instantly sharpened.

"Let's hope it doesn't effect you. Ever," Midori said darkly. Tsubasa was so shocked by the change of beat that she fell silent for the rest of the walk back.

* * *

"I'll share everything with you," Tsubasa said when they were spending time on the roof together soon after.

"What?"

"I'll tell you any secret and give you anything of mine," she said with a warm smile. "Because I love you, Midori."

"Tomoko..." Midori's pointed ears turned red. "I love you too."

"What do you want to know?" Tsubasa asked nervously. "Or what do you want of mine?" Midori watched her, from her short brown hair to her small, prim feet.

He leaned over and kissed her softly.

"I just want you," he smiled through their kiss.

"I want you too," Tsubasa whispered. She wrapped her arms around him. "But I want all of you. Including your secrets. Please... won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Tomoko, I can't burden you with knowing," he pleaded. "Don't make me tell you."

"I know you think... I'm kind of weak," she started. "But I promise I'll deal with the consequences."

"Tomoko, you're not weak," he said firmly, but his voice was still jilted from their kiss. "But even so, I want to protect you. That's what a man does when he loves someone."

"A girl will do some drastic things, too," Tsubasa said. "If she can't fight along side him, she'll worry her heart to death till she can't feel anything anymore. I need to know what it is you are going through so I don't worry without reason. If you don't tell me, I'll think the worst, I swear to God."

"Tomoko..." he let out a sigh. "I...Fine. You know what? Fine. I'll tell you. What's the worst that could happen?" He had no idea. "Tomorrow I'll take you to meet my master, Kisara-sensei. While we're there, I'll tell you everything."

"Thank you," Tsubasa let out a sigh. They kissed again, the love between them blooming up and flowering over their heads, soft petals blocking everything in the world out except one other.

"Midori, I said I wanted _all_ of you," Tsubasa breathed heavily.

"I did too."

They gave everything to each other.

* * *

"My name is Tomoko Tsubasa!" she swooped down in a gallant bow. She was more nervous than she'd been meeting Midori's parents the first time. Kisara had a reputation for being a tough lady. "Pleased to meet you!"

"So _you're_ the girl that keeps distracting my disciple," Kisara smirked. "She's cute. Good going, kid."

"K-Kisara-sensei!" Midori blushed, offering to put away Tsubasa's coat.

"I'm sorry," Tsubasa didn't know how to respond to that.

"It's alright; love motivates him to keep going too," Kisara waved it away. "Okay; Alien Spawn has some training to do, so before you have your lovers' chat I'll need to borrow him for a while. Alright with you, girl?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Tsubasa giggled.

She watched on with awe as Midori suffered through hellish training, a brutal regime that Tsubasa would have given up on ages ago. Kisara did not take it easy on him, correcting every mistake and pushing him to do more than he knew he could handle.

Tsubasa could see why Midori chose her as his master.

"You should visit more often!" Kisara purred when they were done. "He does better when there's a girl here to impress!"

"Thank you for the lesson, sensei, bye!" Midori said quickly. Kisara cackled and left the room to leave them alone. Midori let out a long breath. "Sorry about the wait."

"No! It was so interesting!" Tsubasa blushed. "I'm glad someone so strong is mine."

"I'm glad I'm yours," he repeated back. "Okay, so you wanted to hear the truth about what's been going on?"

"Yes," Tsubasa nodded.

Midori launched his explanation of what Yoake and Yoakeko were, as well as defining Satsujinken and Katsujinken among other necessary knowledge.

"So this Yoake thing is recruiting martial artists from our school," Tsubasa nodded pensively. "But you're Katsujinken, aren't you? Why are you involved?"

"At the time, I hadn't made my choice official and they were trying to convert me," Midori sighed. "Yoake members tried to persuade me to become their disciple, but I said no."

"Tommii too, right?" Tsubasa asked. "They brought him in but he said no?" Midori let out another breath and rubbed his head.

"They brought him in for the same reason," he said slowly. "But he said yes. He's training under one of Yoake's top masters and is about to become a part of Yoakeko."

"So... he's... Satsujinken?"

"Yep."

"Which means... he's a killer?"

"Yes."

"I can't believe that. I just... Tommii? We're talking about the same guy, right?" Tsubasa stood abruptly and paced the dojo.

"You can see why I've been moody lately," Midori laughed stiffly. "It's not exactly great news to find out your friend is a killer. But it's not like we're mortal enemies or anything; we can still hang out normally."

"Yeah, but it'll take some time to come to terms with this," Tsubasa shook her head. "Oh, Tommii."

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Midori explained. "But you can be very... persuasive." They both turned bright red.

"What's that smell?" Kisara's voice sounded from another room. "Are you guys burning something in there?"

* * *

Tommii raced out of his house and down the road; he only had a vague idea of where Kisara's dojo was, but he had to find it.

Midori was in trouble.

He'd just gotten word from a Yoakeko member about what they were planning to do. They said Midori Niijima had told someone about Yoake's plans. He would probably be a liability in the future; it was time to take necessary action.

When Tommii got there, the dojo was already engulfed in flames. It had started raining, but the fire was so magnificent that it didn't even shudder at the droplets.

Hoards of whooping Yoakeko members jumped up and down at the excitement of the arson.

* * *

"We're not burning anything," Midori said about an hour earlier. "Is something wrong?"

"You've got to get out," Kisara said briskly. "There might be a fire in here. I'll look around-" She suddenly turned sharply, looking behind and around her.

"Wha-?"

"Run!" she barked. "We're surrounded, and I'm sensing at least one master-class ki!"

"Ki? What's ki?" Tsubasa asked.

"I'll tell you later!" Midori said, picking Tsubasa up princess-style. "We've got to get out of here!" Before he could make a move to escape, disciples of all skill levels and ages broke down the door and stood menacingly, blocking their exit.

"Damn," Kisara rushed to a window. She threw it open to see many disciples rushing to block the exit. Kisara, with a quick kick, created enough wind pressure to blow them away from the window. "Midori! Tsubasa! Get out of here!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Will Kisara-sensei be alright?"

"She's an Elite Master! She can handle herself!"

"Midori! The fire! I can see it!" Tsubasa cried, pointing near their new escape route. The flames were encroaching fast, swallowing up the window.

"Shit, I was too slow," Midori spun around and rushed to another window. More flames were in that room, right across their path to it. "This is probably Yoakeko trying to get rid of me. They set up multiple fires around the dojo to keep us sealed in from lots of different directions."

"The dojo is on fire," Tsubasa muttered to herself, wide-eyed and afraid. She clutched Midori's chest. He was already sweating from the heat of the fire.

"Midori! Make sure you both get out of here, no matter what!" Kisara's voice coughed from another room.

"Yes, master!"

"I'll see you in the afterlife, kid," Kisara muttered to herself. Seven master-class martial artists surrounded her, and although she was sure she could beat them, there was no way she'd escape the fire in time. If she kicked another hole in the wall, the building would collapse on top of the kids. She couldn't let that happen.

They couldn't find an exit. The fire seemed to be creeping up on them from every direction. Midori tried openings in the ceiling, every door, every window. Too many enemies and flames blocked every exit.

Tsubasa was overwhelmed.

The protective arms of a loved one carried her through the sea of flames.

Bamboo mats, which she'd watched him train on just hours before, were on fire.

The walls were stained with the fire's orange light, the glow muffled only by the thick smoke that rose to the ceiling.

She was overwhelmed by the fire.

Midori's shirt and arms had caught flames as well, but he still lifted Tsubasa's body high above them without flinching.

Kisara-sensei's anxious and urgent calls had been silenced.

She'd been silenced.

Midori finally found an opening, an empty stretch of wall. He used a powerful kicking technique to blow a hole through it.

As he reached it, his strong legs gave out.

He fell to his knees.

Tsubasa fell as well, the force of the fall making her roll away from him.

She strained her neck to see him collapsed on the ground.

"Go!" he yelled.

The building collapsed on him.

* * *

Tsubasa eventually stood up shakily and walked to the streets.

When she turned back, she saw the Yoakeko and Yoake members dancing savagely around the dying dojo.

She saw Eri Kuroki, grinning sadistically at the spectacle from a nearby small cliff.

The Egyptian stood beside her, also watching but only mildly amused. Tsubasa stared at him.

"Hey. You're Tomoko Tsubasa, right? Yeah," he answered his own question and turned back to the fire. Nonchalant. Like he'd just run into her on the street. Apathetic.

Tsubasa turned to walk away.

Tommii stood watching her, his eyes wide and sad, his fists clenched and shaking.

"Is he...?" he started to ask, but Tsubasa's face told the whole story.

They both collapsed to the ground.

Tsubasa cried to the sky, screaming, and Tommii sat silently, tears falling stagnantly down his cheeks in harmony with the rain.

* * *

Tommii Hitotsu never said a word after that; not to his parents, teachers, friends, or anyone else. He stopped spending time with Tsubasa and they stopped being companions.

After winter break, a newly-formed student council took power. It was entirely composed of Yoakeko members, including Tommii, who was the 2nd year representative at the time but eventually became the 3rd year representative.

Even as a 2nd year, Eri Kuroki was the vice president.

Katsuo Yamashita, only a 1st year at this point, was the secretary.

The current 2nd year representative was the 1st that year.

The Egyptian took on the title of "The President."

Tsubasa visited the grave every week for more than a year.

* * *

Ma Kenichi sat in silence. He placed a hand on her bowed head. They were both crying, even though Ma Kenichi hadn't even been there. He'd known about his childhood friend's death, but never before had this story been told.

He kissed Tsubasa's forehead and pulled her in for a hug.


	16. Nycterent

Chapter 16

Nycterent

* * *

"Ryuto-sama," Rimi smiled confidently. "Rimi is here!"

"Hello, Atlantae," he greeted with a polite nod. He pushed his glasses up. Ryuto waved to Katsuo. "You can take a rest, Katsuo. We'll pick back up in a half hour."

"Yes, sir!"

"No eavesdropping."

"Yes sir."

"So," Ryuto offered a seat to Rimi as his disciple scrambled out of the room. "What are you here for, Rimi?"

"I want to ask you for a favor," she clapped her hands together. "Lisa has been growing in strength very quickly, and I want to try and boost her level."

"It's good to hear training has been going well," Ryuto stood nearby, preparing a drink for his guest. "But I don't see where I can help with that."

"I want you to use that technique on her," Rimi blurted out. Ryuto turned back to her sharply, eyes wide with surprise.

He looked off into the distance nostalgically, presumably remembering when Kenichi Shirahama used it to heal his legs.

"The first time it was used, he regenerated nerves," Ryuto said quietly after a moment. "What makes you think it'll make Lisa stronger? She's perfectly healthy."

"If you think about it, the purpose of the technique is to speed up or start a bodily function that wouldn't have started on its own," Rimi explained. "The technique is a catalyst. If you use it on her whole body it may increase her stamina and ability to train. It could increase her potential exponentially."

"It _could_," Ryuto pointed out. "But the chance of it going wrong is also very high. Kenichi only used it on me because we'd tried every other option."

"I really want Lisa to become a strong and powerful martial artist," Rimi said firmly. "She probably won't be driven by love like I am, but she still has a bottomless pit of potential. Please... use it on her."

"I'll think about it," Ryuto said. "But don't be hasty, alright? Remember the time when you used the other forbidden technique? I don't want a repeat of that incident."

* * *

"Something's bothering you, Kenichi," Miu touched his hand. "What is it?"

"It's Lisa," he rubbed his forehead. "She's been even more distant lately than before. She said it was... you know, puberty."

"Oh," Miu blinked with embarrassment. "Well, you know, it can't be helped."

"With puberty comes hormones, though!" Kenichi said forcefully and suddenly. "What if she's become... sexually active? What if she's been with a bunch of guys? You know, that Katsuo boy seems to have a thing for her and what if they've been experimenting together?"

"You worry too much," Miu rolled her eyes.

"But you see, Lisa is my responsibility," he sat back in his chair in exhaustion. "I promised Freya that I would take care of her no matter what! Even through everything, I would always protect her. Now that I got strong enough to protect you, I should be able to protect Lisa."

"You need more than strength," Miu smiled. "You need a kind heart to raise a girl like her, and understanding. Both of which you are capable of. Do what you think is best, but make sure she gets everything she needs."

"She actually seems pretty happy lately," Kenichi pondered, stroking his chin. "I wonder if that has anything to do with-"

"Paranoia," Miu cut him off.

"Right. I just need to let her blossom bloom and grow," he smacked himself in the face. "I need to calm down and think straight."

* * *

After Tsubasa told Ma Kenichi her story, the pathetically sad part of her soul was shed and left behind her.

She walked straighter and talked bolder than every before; as class president, she ruled over them with grace and wisdom.

Ma Kenichi grew quieter. After he'd completely digested the story of Midori's death, the happy-go-lucky boy awoke once more.

However, Lisa noticed his solemn period. She didn't particularly worry too much about her friends, but Ma Kenichi was like a brother to her and she naturally accumulated some concern.

Lisa waited outside Ma Kenichi's classroom, but not for him. She hid herself when Ma Kenichi left the room; it was when Tsubasa exited that she leaped into action.

"Tomoko Tsubasa," Lisa called, jogging over.

"Lisa Kugenin," Tsubasa was startled, but greeted her immediately. "What brings a 2nd year into 3rd year territory?"

"I came to talk to you," Lisa said sharply. "If you're going to date Ma Kenichi, you need to clearly state your intentions. I won't forgive you if you hurt him."

"Oh yeah?" Tsubasa scowled. "Who are you to say that to me? You have no right to accuse me of wanting to hurt him."

"I'm his childhood friend," Lisa answered. "I need to know what you think you're doing."

"I _think_ I'm trying to get home, but obviously you think I ought to waste my time talking to you here instead," she snapped. "I have cram school in a half hour, and I don't have time for this."

"You know I'm a martial artist, and I could keep you here by force if I wanted to," Lisa said, stepping up close to her. "I know this means nothing to a placid herbivore like you, but I'm Satsujinken."

Tsubasa jerked back in surprise, but she didn't let fear infect her solid gaze.

"Are you threatening to kill me?" she said sarcastically. "You're gonna kill me on school grounds? You know, I could report you for just saying that."

"You think I care?" Lisa rolled her eyes. "I could kill you and escape the country before the officials even found out."

"We both know that isn't going to happen," Tsubasa said. "You're here because your worried about Ma Kenichi. If you kill me, you're practically asking him to hate you."

"You overestimate how much he likes you," Lisa said. "He's known me for so long that he'd forgive anything I do."

"Then isn't it amazing that he's only known me for three months and already likes me just as much," Tsubasa challenged.

Lisa wrapped her fingers around the girl's throat. Tsubasa gasped in surprise, but when she tried to breath in she found that Lisa had blocked her breathing passages.

"Don't tempt me," she said quietly. Then she released and walked away. "I don't want the blood of some weakling on my head. If I find out you've been playing some sick game with him, I'll come after you."

"Good for you," Tsubasa grunted, rubbing her neck.

_She's Satsujinken_, Tsubasa thought to herself. _I never thought I'd hear that word again. Ma Kenichi is bringing me back into this world. If he dies... if Ma Kenichi dies, I don't think I'll be able to recover again._

* * *

"Yoakeko meeting is called to order!" Katsuo Yamashita called after taking attendance. "The President would like to say a few words."

"Thank you, Katsuo," The President nodded to him. "As some of you may already know, Lisa is taking the entry examination for Yoakeko. That means that should she pass, she will be replacing our 2nd year representative."

"That's bullshit, man," the 2nd year rep muttered.

"If your strong, she won't defeat you and she won't pass," Eri snapped. "Now shut up and let him finish."

"Thank you, Eri," The President said, not at all sounding grateful. "Either way, I recommend you all get some last minute training in so Lisa doesn't win so easily. Haru has already been defeated by Lisa, so the rest of you should try not to be as effortlessly defeated."

"I fought well," Haru objected. "Lisa's just really strong."

"Clearly you didn't fight well enough," The President snapped. "But that's beside the point. Where's the 3rd year representative?"

Tommii stood up at the mention of his title.

"You will challenge her next," The President commanded. "Take the Vice President and 1st year representative with you since we need to make sure you don't flake out and go soft on her. Don't think we've forgotten your history with Katsujinken, 3rd year rep."

"We have names, you know," Haru muttered to herself.

"Are there any questions?" The President completely ignored the obviously audible outburst, as if the girl didn't even exist. "If you all have nothing more to add, then the Yoakeko meeting is adjourned."

Tommii bowed solemnly and sat back down.

"The Student Council meeting is called to order!" Katsuo called. "If any of you want highlights from either of the meetings, I have notes jotted down in case. Just ask me later if you want them."

"Thank you, Katsuo," Eri stood to speak as the President left, bored with the academic minutiae. "Now, for the school festival, the 1st years will take care of the food booths, 2nd years the carnival games, and 3rd years will put on talent shows, plays, and sporting events..."

* * *

After the student council meeting, Eri walked past the school's pool where Ma Kenichi's swim team was practicing. The young Chinese martial artist immediately climbed out of the pool and raced over to her, still dripping wet from his dive and straining the water out of his long hair.

"Eri Kuroki!" he called to stop her. She turned around, her beautiful hair flipping over her shoulder as she turned to look at him. "I've got to talk to you!"

"Yes, Ma Kenichi?" she asked, waiting for him to catch up with her. "What do you need?"

"What have you been doing to Lisa?" he demanded. "She's never been so distant, and I think you have something to do with it."

"I'm not at liberty to say," Eri turned away with a slow smile. "But doesn't she seem happier? Why are you concerned?"

"Sometimes what makes you happy isn't what's right," Ma Kenichi pointed out. "I want to make sure she's on the right path."

"I don't know about the 'right' path, but she's definitely on one she believes is righteous," she explained carefully. "There's nothing to worry about. I promise that Lisa is safe and taken care of. Her life isn't in real danger."

"She's not I 'real danger'? Is there some kind of danger involved?" Ma Kenichi froze. "Tell me everything!"

"So curious!" She laughed haughtily, enjoying the boy's distress. "Why in the world would I tell you about what's going on?"

"Because knowing will probably make me feel worse," Ma Kenichi said lamely. "If I know, I'll probably worry even more, and you love seeing people squirm."

To his surprise, Eri seemed to be considering it now.

"If you tell me, I'll owe you one favor within reason," Ma Kenichi added the qualifier quickly. "Promise."

"Whatever," she hugged. "I like it when people are in my debt. I'll tell you, but don't go telling your masters, alright?"

"Sure."

"Here goes," Eri smiled meanly. "Don't blame me if you don't like the truth."

She told him about Lisa's conversion to Satsujinken, her first time killing involving the murder of over 15 people on the spot, her switching masters from Kenichi Shirahama to Rimi Kokorone, Yoake and Yoakeko, and the result of Lisa's battle with Haru.

Ma Kenichi fell backwards, staring forwards with empty eyes. Eri laughed heartily, soaking up the delicious sight of a broken soul. The Chinese boy's ki wavered, crumbled, and flickered with the turmoil created by Lisa's experiences.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go join Haru, Tommii, and Lisa for a karaoke party," she said, still buzzing from her high.

Eri skipped off to join her friends.

* * *

"You're late!" Haru whined.

"I'm sorry; I had some last-minute business to attend to," Eri explained coolly.

"If we don't get going, it'll be dark before we're done," Lisa pointed out. "Let's go." Tommii didn't offer commentary and instead followed the three girls with his hands in his pocket.

The four walked on, Haru chatting happily to Lisa and Eri, who each chimed in with a comment here and there. Tommii held all their bags, from Lisa and Eri's heavy book bags to Haru's pencil case, but he was stoic and didn't mind.

They walked along the road for about 10 minutes before they arrived on an empty parking lot behind an abandoned building.

"This isn't a karaoke place," Lisa noted. "Which means that one of you is probably going to challenge me now. I already fought Haru, and Eri is more highly ranked so I assume she'll challenge me close to last. That means that I will probably be fighting Tommii this time."

"Correct," Eri circled around Tommii and placed a dainty hand on his shoulder. "I would watch out, you know. He almost beat Katsuo out for his secretary position a while back. This won't be as simple as whipping out a prized technique. You might not even win."

Tommii pulled a kerchief from his pocket, which contained something in it. He tossed the kerchief to Lisa, who caught it with one hand and carefully unwrapped it.

"What is this?" Lisa lifted it to the light. It was a round coin, very old-looking, with a flame engraved onto it.

"Tommii is into old style things!" Haru piped. "That is an old challenge coin from the old Yami group! Tommii's master used this coin to issue official Yami challenges, and now he's using it to officially challenge you as part of Yoakeko!"

"I see," Lisa took off her hat and set it on the ground, placing the beautiful coin inside it where it was safe. "I, Lisa Kugenin, disciple of Rimi Kokorone and expert of the Kugatachi staff style, am honored to accept your challenge, Tommii Hitotsu."

She glanced around and found a uselessly ragged broom lying abandoned in the grass. She picked it up and removed it's head.

"I have a feeling I'll need my staff for this one," she took up her preferred battle stance.

"That's probably true," Eri smiled slowly.

Before starting the match, Tommii also pulled out a timer with a large dial on it. He turned it to 10 minutes and set it down on a nearby stump.

"It's Tommii's habit to time his battles," Eri explained. "After 20 minutes, whether you've defeated him or not, the battle is over. Although 20 minutes seems like a long time for a battle, you'll wish you had more time. And it will feel like a million years."

Lisa stared at Tommii, trying to meet his eyes, but she couldn't even see them past the curtain of hair that now hid them.

Tommii took up a familiar stance, a stance Lisa herself had trained to use for many years:

Muay Thai.


	17. Keraunophobia

Chapter 17

Keraunophobia

* * *

Tommii struck first.

There was no doubt that he was a skilled disciple; his speed and agility were mesmerizing and flawless.

He launched himself at Lisa with a flying knee attack aimed at her head. It was so quick that Lisa barely had time to dodge.

She couldn't even counterattack when Tommii was attacking once more.

By the time she'd collected herself, Tommii was close-range. He grabbed the back of her head with one hand and threw a punch at her with the other.

It landed, and Lisa felt the hot sting of a fresh wound cutting at her face.

"Shirahama Style Takusousho!" Lisa called the name of Kenichi's variation of a Ma technique. She quickly broke from Tommii's grasp by striking him with a short, powerful attack on his chin.

Tommii leaped away to briefly recover.

"Kugatachi Ryuu, 4th technique," Lisa started, running towards him with her staff in hand. "Toufu!" She vaulted herself in the air with the staff and crashed down on him with her full body weight.

Tommii rolled himself out of the way, and Lisa landed nimbly on the ground to attack again.

"Kugatachi Ryuu, 1st technique!" she said again. "Rei Mei!" Her opponent was just within her staff's seikuken, and she was able to land the pole on his shoulder with crushing speed.

Tommii winced, but instead of pausing to recover he launched an attack himself.

He stoically threw another punch, but after Lisa easily blocked it he backed it up with a spinning elbow strike.

_I recognize that one,_ Lisa thought. _That's a Muay Thai technique called Ti Sok Klub_.

This was much harder to block, and after wards he barraged her with an onslaught of elbow strikes aimed at her collar bone, an attack called Ba Quan Sabad Na.

"Woodpecker Ripping Kick!" Lisa used one of her favorite techniques learned from Rimi. She aimed multiple powerful kicks at the same spot on Tommii's body. A few hit, but he had a counterattack ready.

He blocked one of her kicks, and before she could throw another he countered with Hanuman. He lunged into Lisa's space and thrust both fists upwards at her chin.

The ripping sound of contact was devastating. Lisa flew backwards, reeling in pain.

Not giving her a chance to rest, Tommii threw out a roundhouse kick that hit one of her legs, pushing her limp body higher into the air.

Once she was falling again, he took advantage of gravity by inflicting a Kao Loi attack, grabbing her head and thrusting his knee at it.

Lisa clung to consciousness, gripping her staff as if it were her life line, and she used a basic Jujitsu landing technique to avoid serious injury from the fall.

"K-Kugatachi Ryuu," Lisa gasped out. "Modified Setsuna!" She didn't have staves with her, but she modified the defensive maneuver according to what she had; she attempted to perform the technique simply by the positioning, which made it less effective. However, as far as defensive techniques went, this was the best she had.

"Phantom Night of the Swallow!" Lisa also attempted to keep out of sight by using Rimi's high-speed running technique that seemed to make her disappear.

Tommii halted in place. He closed his eyes and tried to sense her ki.

Due to Lisa's extensive training with Rimi, she'd grown even quicker. Tommii could hardly keep track of her, even when locating her ki.

Instead of wasting time trying to find her, he performed a special flying roundhouse kick in which he seemed to use both legs to steer himself in midair and widen the radius of the attack.

"Amazing!" Haru, who was still nearby with Eri, gasped in awe. "That's one of Tommii's personal Muay Thai techniques, Tommii Kennha Teiha!"

"It's very impressive, but let's see if it works," Eri smiled calmly.

Lisa, in dodging the attack, had to slow down to a visible speed. Although she hadn't been hit by Tommii's kick, it's purpose had been served; he found her.

"You're very good," Lisa called, still in pain but much calmer now that the initial shock of Tommii's strength had worn down. The boy nodded in thanks. "I think it's time I brought out a technique of my own I've been working on."

"Lisa has a technique?" Eri glanced at Haru. "Which martial art?"

"From the looks of it, her staff style," Haru gestured to Lisa's stance.

"Kugatachi Ryuu, Lisa technique," she muttered. "Rakurai!" She charged at him, one hand forward in a fist and the other behind her with the staff.

After Tommii blocked the easy punch, Lisa hurled the other arm at him, which had the staff in it, and put it behind his neck. She leaped back and pulled his head down with the staff until he crashed his forehead against the ground.

"That technique looks difficult," Eri noted. Haru whistled in admiration.

Lisa cringed as she straightened up again, clutching her wounded leg. Tommii pulled himself to his feet, his uniform shirt already in tatters. He tore the remains of it off, revealing his well-toned body, and took up Tang Guard Muay, the basic Muay Thai stance.

They eyed each other, already tired but running on adrenaline.

Eri glanced at the timer.

Six minutes had passed.

* * *

Tirawit Kokin watched his disciple fight the small silver-haired girl with eyes searching for flaw to later perfect and train out of him.

Tommii Hitotsu had gone a long way since Kokin first met him; the boy was fragile and timid, but he was in love with a girl who had a relationship with a powerful martial artist. In order to become strong enough to defeat him and hopefully gain the approval of the girl, Tommii gave up everything to train under Kokin as a member of Yoakeko.

However, once he began training in Muay Thai, his passion for martial arts easily overtook his love-driven beginning. Tommii had hardened into a fine man, the perfect example of a good boy who was Satsujinken.

Kokin did not smile, but his chest warmed proudly to see his disciple fighting so flawlessly.

Sakaki Shio, however, didn't know what to think.

He was also present, hiding in a tree, watching the battle just as he once watched his own disciple's battles.

Sakaki wanted Lisa to straighten out and rejoin Katsujinken, but he had no idea how it would come about. On one hand he thought Lisa was an okay girl and wanted her to win, but on the other he thought she might be best served if she was beaten and lost faith in Satsujinken.

Not far off, a proud glow could be seen on Rimi Kokorone's face. Her disciple was fighting well, although the girl was behind on her training because of Kenichi's negligence.

Whenever Lisa landed a blow, Rimi cheered quietly. Of course, a master must not interfere with her disciple's battles.

She thought back to her conversation with Ryuto Asamiya. If this fight went well, she might gain permission to use the technique on her; the technique that would make her tenfold stronger.

Rimi clenched her hands together and hoped that Lisa had it in her to win.

She noticed Haru and Eri spectating; Rimi thought they looked obnoxious, watching so pleasantly as if they didn't care who won, as long as if there was a show.

"Hey, kids!" she said in a harsh whisper. Eri and Haru glanced up with surprise. "Get out of here, would you?"

"We have orders to watch the match, Miss Rimi," Eri explained.

"Well, I'm ordering you to leave," Rimi said. "I'll explain the situation to your superior if they get angry. Plus, if what they wanted was someone spectating, both Tirawit Kokin and I are here." Of course, Rimi sensed his ki when she first arrived.

"Oh," Haru blinked her wide eyes in surprise. She looked to Eri, who nodded and bowed as she turned to leave the battle scene.

Rimi turned back to the battle, praying she didn't miss anything important.

* * *

Once he'd bypassed Lisa's defenses, Tommii struck her head with his elbow, but she used a karate block to deflect it.

"Kugatachi Ryuu, fourth technique," Lisa said for the second time, running forward and vaulting herself towards him again, ignoring her screaming muscles. "Toufu!"

Tommii was getting sluggish and only just barely managed to dodge it, but Lisa managed to clip his shoulder. He fell backwards, spinning to his feet immediately.

"Rimi-style," Lisa called, trying a newer technique she'd learned recently. "Striking Dove's Wing!"

Taking only two steps and one second to dart behind her opponent, Lisa slammed her arm into Tommii's face, temporarily stunning him as she kicked the backs of his knees. Tommii fell down, but before she could strike again, he flipped forward to escape her grasp.

Tommii countered instantly, first sending a powerful kick to Lisa's face, but once she'd blocked it he followed it up with a knee aimed at her stomach. The second strike connected, and she gasped for breath as she fell backwards, but she managed to catch herself and land standing.

"Rekka Apunch!" Lisa used a super-powered barrage of karate punches that Kenichi Shirahama taught her when she was younger.

Tommii blocked many of them, but when the speed of the punches became too much for him, he ducked and moved into Lisa's space, again elbowing upwards to her face.

Lisa leaped back.

"Rimi-style Piercing Talon Kick!" Lisa returned to her opponent, aiming a high-speed heel kick at his head. Once he deflected it, her heel hit the ground, propelling her upwards. Once in the air, Lisa jabbed the back of Tommii's head with a quick, powerful gesture.

He stumbled forward, pausing and shaking his head in an attempt to shake off the effects of the attack.

"Dee Sork Toron!" Lisa called. She instantly regretted it, since it was a Muay Thai technique that Tommii would recognize.

He did. Tommii easily forward rolled out of the way of the downward attack, countering with Gemon Tepii, a flying knee to her head. Lisa was unprepared for the counter, and she was hit. Lisa fell to the ground, still conscious but struggling to stand back up.

Tommii was still effected by Lisa's assault on his neck; his vision was blurry and he felt disoriented. They both stood staring at each other.

One of Lisa's eyes was swelling, one of her legs trembling and bleeding.

Tommii clutched his shoulder, overworked and sore. Lisa couldn't see it, but behind his hair he blinked rapidly to try and snap himself out of the funk her attack had send him in.

Neither turned to look, but the timer showed 10 minutes had passed since they started.

* * *

"What's that sound?" Tsubasa asked, tugging Ma Kenichi's sleeve and pointing forward along the road. The two were taking a walk together, which was not rare, and they happened to traversing the very road along which Tommii and Lisa were battling.

"It's a fight," Ma Kenichi recognized it immediately. "Sounds like some skilled martial artists. We should go see if it's something serious. We won't stay long." Tsubasa nodded curtly.

They walked briskly to the fight, and they both gasped when they saw Tommii and Lisa, wounded and bleeding, engaged in a serious life-or-death battle.

Ma Kenichi's eyebrows were set, analyzing the fight wit hurt and devastated eyes. Just looking at Lisa was still a painful reminder of what Eri told him about her.

Tsubasa's eyes were wide. She'd only ever seen one real martial arts battle in her life, and it hadn't been pretty. Her eyes were glued to Tommii, her old friend, fighting like his life depended on it. _Well, since they're both Satsujinken, I guess their lives do depend on it,_ Tsubasa thought dryly.

Tsubasa still couldn't get used to the notion that Tommii was an enemy; his mannerisms were normally so placid, so calm. But now as she saw him fighting, Tsubasa could see the blood-thirsty side of him coming out. Every movement, every breath was dedicated to the soul purpose of putting Lisa through the worst pain he possibly could.

Ma Kenichi stared at Lisa. He recalled Kenichi Shirahama telling him about his teen years, when he and Tanimoto were close friends despite their opposing views on martial arts.

_How did he do it_? Ma Kenichi thought. _How was Uncle Shirahama able to live normally with a Satsujinken friend right next to him?_

And even as he grimaced at the thought of Lisa killing someone, he gaped in awe of her skill. Ma Kenichi didn't remember Lisa being so far above him. Even though she was a year younger, she'd trained longer and more diligently than he ever had; ever since their youngest years she was always stronger. However, the margin between them was devastating.

Ma Kenichi glanced at Tsubasa. She was trembling, as if she was afraid. He saw the look on her face, and decided that her trauma against martial arts was still too strong.

"Let's go, Tsubasa," he said, tugging at her sleeve gently. She nodded slowly and they both turned to leave.

Just as they turned, a familiar face caught Ma Kenichi's eye.

Sakaki and he looked at each other. They each could tell that the other knew the whole story, Lisa's betrayal still weighing heavily on each of them.

Ma Kenichi had managed to keep it a secret from the rest of Ryouzanpaku thus far, but for how much longer would he be able to keep this up?

For now, Ma Kenichi settled for leaving the battle, linking arms with Tsubasa and leading her home.

* * *

"Eri-i-i-i!" Katsuo whined. "What am I going to do?!"

"What are you blathering about this time?" Eri smiled in amusement. "Girl troubles!"

"You could say that," he sniffled. "I overheard Asamiya-sensei telling Atlantae that they were going to use _that technique_ on Lisa!"

"What?" Eri gasped. "Are you sure?"

"It's not decided, but it looks like it," Katsuo nodded. "If it all works out, she'll be so much stronger than me!"

"Then train harder. Eventually you'll catch up," Eri said, trying to calm the tempest of thoughts whirling around in her head.

"I think you've forgotten," Katsuo raised a finger. "That I have to challenge her! What if she's that much stronger than me? What if I lose too quickly? They might kick me out of Yoakeko! Asamiya-sensei would be really disappointed in me, and he might disown me as his disciple, and then I'll get even weaker, and then-"

"Calm down," Eri snapped. "But you're right, this won't do. I have to challenge her again to measure her growth speed, too. It wouldn't be right for the disciple of the Yoake head to lose easily, either."

"What are we going to do?" he asked. "You always have a plan! Help!"

"This is ridiculous," Eri said with annoyance. "We shouldn't have to worry like this! Atlantae has no right to ask Odin to do this! I'm sure she's just trying to get her disciple ahead so she'll be promoted in Yoake."

"And just imagine what the President would do to us if we lose like that!" Katsuo pointed out.

"Definitely not good," Eri said, pondering some more. Suddenly, a light seemed to go off in her head, and she smiled that slow smile of hers. From the speed at which she reached her conclusion, it must have been a simple solution but effective as well.

"What is it?" Katsuo asked excitedly.

"Lisa's not gonna win this one," Eri ignored his question and laughed to herself.

* * *

Lisa heaved herself up, still fighting with all her might. She'd managed to grasp the advantage, but Tommii was still going strong. She could tell that it wouldn't take much for him to end up on top again.

Tommii didn't seem to be concerned about her strength- his apathetic demeanor was unchanged from the start of the battle. His knees and elbows were bloody from his attacks, and one of his arms was wounded till he could hardly use it.

Neither had noticed when Eri and Haru left, and neither knew how much time had passed.

If they'd been watching the timer, they would have known that they'd been fighting for 14 minutes. There were 6 minutes left in their battle.

Tommii and Lisa glanced at each other, took a deep breath, and resumed fighting.


	18. Amrita

Chapter 18

Amrita

* * *

Tommii had the upper hand.

He had one killer wound on his shoulder that made it painful to use that arm, but that was practically his only wound; Lisa had many smaller ones scattered throughout her body. Even the walk home would be a painful endeavor.

They'd stopped calling out their attacks. It was too much energy lost.

7 minutes left.

* * *

The President had called a meeting.

Haru and the 2nd representative were the first ones there since their masters were out of the country, but Katsuo and Eri were both delayed when they rushed to finish that days training. After all, neither Ryuto Asamiya or Rachel Stanley particularly appreciated it when their disciples left before the lesson was over.

They all knew what they were there for; since the President didn't have a master to celebrate with, he'd gathered them all to witness the historical occasion.

The President made a quick mental note that Tommii Hitotsu was not there, but to be honest he couldn't care less; he thought the 3rd year rep was spineless and emotional anyways, undeserving of the honor to see his transformation.

The President knew he was on the brink of advancement. He would probably only need a small push to go over the edge.

He gestured to Haru and the 2nd year rep, two of the weakest members of Yoakeko, and also to Eri and Katsuo, the strongest two after himself. Everyone stood and approached him, muscles tensed and eyebrows set.

They knew the President intended to fight all four of them simultaneously.

Eri and Katsuo, who'd fought together many times and fallen into a sort of rhythm about it, launched into battle first. They both knew they had no chance at victory, but they fought on with the confidence that miracles could happen.

The two were also accustomed to fighting alongside the President as allies, so they each had a pretty good idea of what he would do. Katsuo tried his best, utilizing powerful techniques that Ryuto had taught him only recently, specifically in preparation and foresight for this occasion.

Eri used many techniques, but the self-preservation queen used the gymnastics skills that were necessary for her martial art to defend herself and dodge the President's attacks. She and Katsuo stayed out of each others ways, but moved around him in harmony to facilitate the movements of the other.

The President deflected their attempts easily and fought against them leisurely.

Haru and the 2nd rep also tried attacking, but they all knew it was all for naught.

And then it happened.

The air in the room became still, even despite their heated battle. They all stopped moving and stared at the President; his ki suddenly became visible, a flame-like wave emanating from his body.

The President closed his eyes and turned his face to the ceiling, arms slowly rising like he was gathering energy from the world around him.

He seemed to glow.

Then, quickly and violently, the President's ki swelled enormously. The four Yoakeko officers leaped back in alarm, making sure they were out of the ki's seemingly-alive reach.

The President cried out in pain, his muscles tearing from the overload of energy. His eyes rolled back in his head from the agony, his yells loud and deafening.

Katsuo and Eri exchanged a glance. This was a process that was meant to happen in the heat of an intense battle; it was unusual for it to be when the President was idle, which is why he was hurting so much.

That is what awaits all martial artists.

It took nearly an hour for the screaming to stop; since the ki wasn't being exerted like it would have in a battle, the President had to contain it all in his body and the strain it made on his muscles and organs was unfathomable.

However, by the end of it all the President was a new man:

He was a master martial artist.

* * *

With continuous elbow strikes, Tommii attacked Lisa.

She blocked desperately, the last of her energy coasting her through the defensive maneuvers. She'd even had to use her last resort techniques multiple times.

Tommii, too, was getting tired. No matter how crippling his attacks were, Lisa's skill enabled her to protect herself from them. It seemed that he always hit a brick wall, and even if the wall was crumbling now he would never be able to break through it before he completely collapsed in exhaustion.

6 minutes left.

Lisa swung her staff around, using some of her final moves in hopes that Tommii would be unable to block it. Of course, this desire failed and he deflected each attack.

Tommii attempted attacking from every angle and every direction; Lisa had no openings. Her form and technique were almost flawless, and she was very impressive for a disciple.

5 minutes left.

This was becoming tiresome. Tommii really didn't want to fight anyways; the only reason he became a martial artist was to gain enough power to win over Tsubasa, but his love for her faded into a dull ache whenever he encountered the class president.

Lisa, however, was determined to fight on and win. She wanted to prove to Rimi that she could win against all odds, that she was good enough to be her disciple, but most of all Lisa wanted to get into Yoakeko very badly.

Somehow, Lisa managed to gain the upper hand; her defensive maneuvers took a rest as she exercised her offensive techniques.

4 minutes left.

Tommii's defense was in much better shape, and Lisa's attacks were virtually useless. She artfully attacked her opponent's vulnerable points, usually fruitlessly but sometimes resulting in success.

Tommii's open mouth betrayed his exhaustion, this curtain of hair shielding his eyes and protecting him from Lisa's judging glares.

3 minutes left.

Rimi, Kokin, and Sakaki were all on the edge of their seats. Rimi and Kokin were both concerned in support of their disciples, but Sakaki was conflicted about which opponent to side with.

Kokin wasn't one to worry about other people, but Tommii was different; he was an emotional child he could not understand, and thus studied him with a keen interest in discovering everything about him. If he lost now at the hand of this girl, his poor disciple could become discouraged. This was also an outcome he did not desire.

He'd predicted the outcome of the battle, but Lisa seemed to have the upper hand. Would the tides turn in favor of Kokin's prediction?

2 minutes left.

Rimi clenched her hands together, watching Lisa keenly. She wanted to make sure she didn't do anything crazy.

_After all_, Rimi thought, putting a hand over the eye that was darker than the other. _Kids can do some dangerous things_.

She fussed over whether to stop the battle for a while, but decided to wait until it was certain that Lisa was in danger of serious injury.

1 minute left.

Lisa used the highest level technique she had, which happened to be a staff move.

Tommii simultaneously use his most powerful strike as well, hoping that it would end this battle once in for all.

It did.

Time was up; just as the timer rang out Lisa's staff snapped and the two fell backwards, completely unconscious and drained of all energy.

_A draw_, Kokin thought. _Just as I predicted_._ Although I didn't think either of them were this advanced yet._

He dropped down from his watching place to retrieve his disciple and disappeared without a word to Rimi, who did the same for Lisa.

Sakaki rushed back to Rouzanpaku before the other masters could grow suspicious.

* * *

Sakaki and Ma Kenichi patched up an explanation, claiming that Lisa suddenly decided to challenge a dojo and was injured, but won. Kenichi Shirahama and Miu fussed over her, demanding that Akisame and Ma Kensei treat her properly. Neither suspected that the two were lying out of trust, and Ma Kenichi felt immensely guilty.

"Those are Muay Thai wounds," Apachai said seriously to Shigure. "Apachai can tell. Sakaki and Baby Kenichi lie."

"If Sakaki is... lying, there must... be a reason," Shigure said logically. "We'll... keep it a secret... for now." Apachai agreed readily and forgot about it all immediately.

Lisa was unconscious for over a week, and when she finally did wake up she was still bedridden until her leg completely healed.

For some reason it seemed that whenever Lisa went to school something interesting happened. That being said, within the first week of Lisa's return she experience a landmark occurrence.

She was walking from school when it happened; she'd insisted on a period of solitude and refused to be accompanied by Katsuo, Eri, or Tommii. Lisa was embarrassed that she hadn't won, and didn't want to face their pity longer than she had to.

"Hey," the President said eerily, and appearing suddenly as seemed to be his habit. "You're Lisa, right?

"Yes, I am," she answered apathetically. "Who are you?"

"It seems people don't recognize me anymore; this could be troublesome," he thought out loud. Then he returned to their conversation. "I'm the student council President in our school."

"Ah!" Lisa blinked, straightening up and dropping her tensed shoulders. "You're the leader of Yoakeko!"

"Yes, I am that too," he affirmed with satisfaction.

Lisa observed him quickly. It was immediately notable that he was not from Japan, a trait that Ma Kenichi completely overlooked. Lisa knew from a past conversation that he was from Egypt, and now that she saw him she could see the connection. However, his hair was a shocking color of red that had to be dyed and his eyes were equally shocking but pale blue, a color that contrasting magnificently with his dark skin.

His air was elegant and slightly noble, but heavy darkness rested on his shoulder like an unlit furnace that could switch on at any moment.

Lisa couldn't sense it, but if she could she would have noticed the ki of a master.

Something she was able to pick up on, however, was his martial art; she'd seen that same stance and manner of behaving in China many years before.

The President was a boxer.

But even in knowing the martial art, he was abstract and formless; as if he only had a little bit of formal training and made the rest up as he went along.

"So, I see you're passing your judgment on me now," he said softly, shocking Lisa from her trance. "I have to admit, Lisa Kugenin, you are an interesting girl."

"Pardon?"

"Such a small person," he noted, pointing at her. "And you're so powerful. You actually have much more potential that half of the members of Yoakeko, and definitely more than at least Haru of the officers."

"That's very kind of you," Lisa bowed graciously. "I'm honored to meet you. I've been curious about you as well, President-san."

"Please, just President is fine," he responded. Lisa thought it was peculiar that no one seemed to know his name, but no matter.

They eyed each other, half in suspicion and half in fascination. For a long while they didn't speak, but neither cared. Lisa thought that his eyes were spectacularly clear, like a 10 foot deep chlorine pool. Hers were a different shade, a smoother and darker blue, but the President could appreciate their depth as well.

"So how's Kenichi?" he asked.

"My ex-master?" Lisa blinked in surprise. She didn't know that Kenichi Shirahama was acquainted with someone so young.

"No, Ma Kenichi, the Chinese boy," the President waved the notion away. "He's bee busy with his woman lately, right?"

"Yes," Lisa nodded. "I didn't think you knew him. Have you met Ma Kenichi before?"

"Don't tell him, okay?" he said. Lisa nodded. "We actually were childhood friends in China. I moved their to train in martial arts when I was young; I was an orphan, you see, and I'd learned basic martial arts in Egypt. I was intrigued by it, if you will, and since China was famous for its martial arts I headed that way."

"How did you get past the border?" Lisa asked in confusion. "China is very uptight about those things."

"That's where I met my master," he said. "He was a generous man and when he saw a little boy, obviously poor and without parents, he used his influence as a martial artist to get me across. After that I was taken to train with the Phoenix Alliance and befriended Ma Kenichi just before he left to train with Tanimoto Natsu."

"The Phoenix Alliance?" Lisa gasped. "You're master... was he-?"

"I was trained for five years with Takeda Ikki," he revealed.

"Uncle Takeda? But he's Katsujinken," Lisa's mind was in a whirl. She hadn't even known that he'd taken a disciple!

"Yes; when I first killed someone, he got really mad and scolded me for hours like some old lady," he shrugged. "When I told him I was switching to Satsujinken, he tried to persuade me to switch back. Clearly, it failed and I left China to come here, a famous town in the martial arts world where most of the top martial artists in the world were raised."

"How did you get in Yoakeko without having a master?" Lisa inquired.

"I met Ryuto Asamiya; you know of him, I assume," he explained. "He offered to make me his disciple, but when I declined he offered to gain me a spot in Yoakeko. I agreed and fought tons of existing Yoakeko members and got in; with training from such a legend as Takeda Ikki, I easily became the President. Then Eri and Katsuo and the rest came along and became my top subordinates."

"Wow; that's quite a story," Lisa nodded in respect. "You remember Ma Kenichi from all that time ago!"

"He was the last person my age I knew until I came to Japan," he shrugged.

"It really reminds me of my ex-master, Kenichi Shirahama and Ryuto Asamiya," Lisa pointed out. "Are you and Ma Kenichi friends now?"

"Kenichi doesn't remember me," he shrugged. "But that's okay; he doesn't have to. Anyways, I just came because I've wanted to meet you for a long time; now I have. Don't go looking for me, since you won't find me."

"Will we meet again when I'm in Yoakeko?" Lisa asked, not doubting that she would. The President was surprise that someone actually wanted to see him again.

"Of course; I can't ignore my subordinates," he said with a smile, although that was a lie since he did his best to disregard Haru and Tommii all the time. That was the first time he'd spoken warmly to anyone in a long time.

* * *

"Lisa! Phone call!" Ma Kensei hollered, snatching the telephone from Apachai's hands. "I think it's your mother!"

Lisa walked over calmly and accepted the phone from him, pressing it to her ear nervously. Would her mother know from her voice that she was Satsujinken? Would she begin to suspect?

_Why do I even care?_ Lisa reminded herself, forcing the dread out of her heart.

"Lisa? Are you there?" Freya's familiar voice came from the other end in English, knowing that her daughter didn't particularly like initiating conversation.

"Hello, mom," Lisa replied in English by habit. Apachai and Shigure found the language interesting and listened on with fascination before Miu shooed them away. "Is something wrong?"

"Of course not. I just wanted to see how you were doing," she answered smoothly. Lisa could hear her kind smile through the phone.

"I'm fine, of course," Lisa said.

"When I spoke to Kenichi earlier he mentioned something about a fight," Freya said. "He said I shouldn't call immediately, but are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she repeated.

"Well, if anything's wrong, you'll tell me, right?" she pressed.

"Of course."

"Thank goodness," Freya let out a breath. "Is your father doing fine? Does he look thin?"

"Yes, he does," Lisa said. "But he's always skinny."

"That's good," her mother replied. "I was worried he'd gotten fat since I last saw him; it's been about 5 years, after all."

"How's work been?"

"Well, an attorney's work is never done," she replied. "Let's not talk about that. Your training; is Kenichi serving you well? I'm worried he's going easy on you."

"I'm learning a lot," Lisa said truthfully, despite the fact that she wasn't learning from Kenichi. "He is a great martial artist; I don't think I'll ever see the limit of his power."

"How he is now, I doubt I will either," Freya agreed. Muffled sounds came from the other end of the phone as Freya seemed to pull away from it to deal with an external disturbance.

"Mom?"

"Lisa, do you want to speak to your brother?" Freya said, coming back to the phone.

"What for? He can't answer," Lisa said harshly.

"Lisa, don't say things like that," Freya snapped. "Just because he's mute doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings."

"What would I say? I've never met him, he's not a martial artist, and he's _three years old_," Lisa reminded her. "We have nothing in common except our parents, and that's definitely not enough to keep a _one-sided_ conversation going."

"It would mean a lot to him just to hear your voice," Freya insisted.

"I've got some training to do, mom; If I don't practice Kugatachi Ryuu I'll get weaker in it," Lisa excused herself quickly. "Would you rather I entertain a child or strengthen myself?"

"You won't listen to my answer regardless," Freya accused.

"Bye, mom."

* * *

Lisa ran out to the park, where Rimi cryptically picked her up to take her to Ryuto's training home.

Katsuo sat on a nearby chair to watch, biting his nails nervously.

"What's going on?" Lisa asked. "Why are we here, Rimi-sensei?"

"Hello, Lisa," Ryuto smiled in greeting. "I'm Ryuto Asamiya, Katsuo's master."

"Lisa, can you trust me for a bit?" Rimi pleaded. "We're going to tell you a small story and then ask you a question; now, it's your choice which way to answer, but know that I'm offering this to you because I care about your development." Lisa's eyes were wide and confused.

"Please don't interrupt while I tell you," Ryuto said.

Lisa nodded, and Rimi gestured for him to begin.

"A long time ago, Atlantae and I used a very dangerous technique," he explained. "It was risky and we both knew the consequences, but we did it anyways. I was put in a wheelchair and she died."

"Wha-?"

"Ssh," Katsuo shushed from his seat in the corner.

"People _thought_ I died," Rimi corrected smoothly. "No one knew that I clung to life almost hopelessly. But when they disposed of my body, I was found by a cruel man who took me and kept me just alive, barely conscious. I was paralyzed from neck down, and even speaking was difficult. He... abused me for years until I was found."

Lisa gasped I horror.

"Here in Japan, life went on like normal for a long time," Ryuto took over. "And when Kenichi Shirahama, your old master, left this town to train on his own, he decided to go out searching for a way to give me back my legs. Everyone knew it was useless, but he needed something to hope for and went anyways."

"This was before he took you in, so you probably don't remember," Rimi piped.

"On his journey, Kenichi discovered a hidden technique from a man just on his death bed," Ryuto went on. "It was so clandestine and unique that the old man was the only one in the world who knew it. Kenichi, proving that he had a pure heart and good intentions, was given the honor of learning it."

_How did a man on his death bed teach a technique_? Lisa thought, but kept silent.

"The technique isn't really used in battle as either offense or defense," Rimi said. "It's a healing technique that works to enhance ki, or use it in particular ways."

"It is called Raido (雷道)," Ryuto said ominously. "And it is very risky."

"What Raido does is basically transform ki into an accelerator of sorts," Rimi tried to explain. "It speeds and can even start up the process of cell reproduction and can rebuild damaged parts of you to a certain extent. It was actually invented to give a man back the use of his legs."

"And that's what Kenichi used it for," Ryuto said warmly. "He came back and healed me, allowing me to fully practice martial arts once more."

"Rumors also started floating around that I was still alive," Rimi said. "And when Ryuto-san found out about it he went looking for me."

"I found her," Ryuto pointed out.

"Yes, he did," Rimi smiled, gazing at him with gratitude. "Even though I was paralyzed, Ryuto learned Raido from Kenichi and used it on me, giving me full use of my body again."

"However, Raido is not without setbacks," Ryuto said sharply. "It is incredibly dangerous; just south of Seidou Goui, that dangerous technique that ruined us in the first place."

"Right," Rimi seemed to have forgotten.

"If the technique is used too much, incorrectly, or is incompatible with the recipient," Ryuto started. "Raido will speed up your cell growth too quickly and the person you are healing will literally swell up and explode."

"E-explode?" Lisa and Katsuo both could not help saying it out loud.

"Swell up, and then explode," Rimi corrected. "For us the choice was obvious; we had disabilities we wished to overcome. But your choice is less certain."

"For me?" Lisa blinked. "I'm not injured like that. Why would I use it?"

"When Kenichi first learned it, he told us that the old man described another use for Raido," Ryuto said. "If you use it on a completely healthy person in small increments, it would change the current cells there and replace them with stronger, more durable, and more flexible ones that make the user an altogether more powerful person. The old man said that it could make a martial artist grow exponentially stronger."

"Exponentially stronger," Lisa muttered in excitement.

"So what we were going to ask you is if you wanted us to use it," Rimi said. "On you."

Lisa remained silent for a moment.

"You don't have to respond immediately," Ryuto said. "There's time. Just know that we would use it on you in multiple sessions and space out it's effects over several weeks to minimize the risk of damage-"

"I'm sorry, I think you misunderstand me," Lisa interjected. "I thought the answer was obvious. If it's in the pursuit of power, I'll gladly accept it. And if Rimi-sensei thinks it's best, I trust her opinion."

"Lisa..." Rimi's eyes filled with touched tears. "Thank you! You won't regret it!"

"Well, she might," Ryuto noted.

"Ryuto-san!" she scolded.

"We'll start training tomorrow," Ryuto said.


	19. Frisson

Chapter 19

Frisson

* * *

"So I hear Rimi is doing Raido on her little apprentice," Rachel Stanley noted as Eri did her flexibility exercises. "What a risky thing to do! I hope Atlantae doesn't turn into Ogata, because that would be troublesome."

"Lisa's going to get a lot stronger," Eri said, grunting as she bent herself over in ways only a martial artist could. "I need to train hard so I can match her still."

"That's good to hear!" Rachel chimed happily. "You're a good student, but it's wonderful for you to get fired up every once in a while!"

"I never thought someone who was so much weaker than me just a few months ago could become such a threat," Eri said, her eyes sparkling at the challenge.

Rachel smiled slowly.

"Yoake's purpose has always been to raise a new generation of Satsujinken martial artists," she said, standing up elegantly and with bounce. "We have some fine disciples under our wing, as well as some fine masters. I think it's time Yoake started competing against Katsujinken again."

"Master?" Eri blinked. "Isn't that how Satsujinken shrunk down to the size it is now? Ryouzanpaku and the old Shinpaku Alliance destroyed many Killing Fist master groups and disciple groups respectively. If Yoake tries to do something like that again, we might not be able to recover."

"Of course, I'm not suggesting the full-on war from the old days," Rachel waved the very idea away. "That's _so_ old fashioned. I'm talking about organized matches, non-aggressive. Of course, as is our mantra, everyone's lives will be on the line."

"So it's not chaotic vengeance, but a simple comparison of strength," Eri smiled pensively.

"Precisely!" Rachel cartwheeled to the telephone. "No one can deny that this is an excellent way for our precious Yoakeko to get even stronger! I'm gonna call my subordinates and announce a meeting between the top masters of Yoake. Let's see how Katsujinken feels about _this._"

* * *

Lisa and Ryuto had already undergone a few sessions of Raido, and the disciple felt prouder than ever. Lisa's training with Rimi, on top of Raido treatments, resulted in her exponential growth. It wasn't long after that another martial artist decided to challenge her.

"Hey, squirt!" a harsh voice called from behind her. When Lisa turned to look, she saw four buff-looking guys, probably around her age if not a little older, who appeared to be looking for trouble.

Their leader was a large, familiar looking boy with a long scar running down the side of his face. He had extremely short black hair and eyes the same color. He also wore the uniform to the same school Lisa went to.

"Who are you?" Lisa asked bluntly, admittedly certain that she'd met him before but unsure as to where exactly their encounter had taken place.

"Stupid girl, you don't recognize me?" he growled. "I'm Tokuda Nori."

Lisa was completely confused. The name didn't ring a bell.

"Well, Tokuda, I think I should let you know that I have no idea who you are," Lisa said. "Thank you for introducing yourself. I'm leaving now."

"That's what you think," He snapped, gesturing for the other four with an embarrassed expression.

Instantly, the other three boys completely surrounded her. Lisa glanced lazily from one to another, then back at Tokuda.

"What is it you want?" she inquired. Lisa already knew the answer, but didn't want to leap into a troublesome experience.

"I want a battle," he said, pointing at her. "Your group versus mine."

"As you can see, I don't have a group," Lisa pointed out mildly. "And that would be unfair."

"Like I care! I'm Satsujinken!" he said. "Guys! Attack!"

All four attacked with perfect coordination, their teamwork the likes of which Lisa had never seen before.

However, she easily leaped up and spun in the air, throwing one kick to the face of each adversary.

"Rimi style, Unfurled Wing of the Osprey!" Lisa called the name of her master's technique.

Three of them, including Tokuda, easily recovered and rebounded to attack. One was left on the ground, already unconscious.

Tokuda still appeared to be at full strength, but the other two were, in one strike, severely weakened.

"Don't stop! Keep striking!" Tokuda announced to the remaining boys.

The struggled obediently, throwing punches and kicks in uniform fashion.

Lisa deflected them easily, wrapping each arm around their respective outstretched appendages and flipping them over, both ending up on the ground.

"Rimi style, Diving Sea Hawk!" she proclaimed, and she flipped high into the air only to come back down at six times the speed, her feet outstretched in a killer spear-like attack.

Tokuda and Lisa exchanged a glance for only a brief moment before Lisa launched another technique at the same time as Tokuda launched his.

"Choukarou!" Tokuda yelled.

"Rimi style, Swooping Owl's Prey!" Lisa called.

Tokuda's attack was completely destroyed by Lisa's, and he fell to the ground, defeated. Even so, he grunted and pulled himself to his knees.

"I can still fight!" he yelled. "To a martial artist of Satsujinken, only death is defeat!"

"Then allow me to defeat you," Lisa said flatly. "Rimi style, Flock of Falling Stars!"

She used her favorite final move and ended the threat of Tokuda Nori.

Lisa looked down at her fists and her bloody shoes. When had she gotten so powerful? She hummed to herself the whole way home, glad she'd decided to become Rimi Kokorone's disciple.

* * *

"Lisa killed Tokuda Nori," a nameless subordinate notified Rimi.

"Really? That's wonderful! He was so strong but a really irritating boy," she applauded in jubilation. "If I was a disciple fighting him, I would've killed him too!"

"He's the 2nd year representative, Atlantae-san," Katsuo said during a break from training.

"That's right, Rimi almost forgot!" her mouth formed an "o."

"Well, it would seem that a vacancy has appeared in the top ranks of Yoakeko," Ryuto said. "Lisa would probably earn that spot regardless of her battles with the others now, since she's fought with half of them already and came back with positive marks."

Katsuo's ears pricked. Maybe he wouldn't have to fight her and go through with the plan he and Eri had come up with!

"But don't tell her that!" Rimi said quickly. "I still want her to fight the rest of the top Yoakeko members! It's good to keep disciples busy, and what better way than friendly sparring matches?"

"Fine, but you better tell her that she's not allowed to kill other Yoakeko members," Ryuto said. Katsuo grimaced at the thought of fighting Lisa.

"Fine! I promise she won't kill any others," Rimi grumbled.

"After all, it must be hard for Tokuda Nori's master to lose his best disciple," Ryuto reminded her softly. "Imagine if instead, Lisa was killed rather than the Tokuda boy." Rimi's eyes darkened.

"Of course there's always a risk," Rimi said. "But that's Katsujinken logic, Ryuto. Since they're on the same team I'll tell her not to kill them, but she has to kill sometime. When I took her in as my disciple, I accepted full responsibility to care for her, but in doing that I also accepted the risk of losing her. It is a terrifying feeling, but I know Lisa will become a great master long before she meets her end. And that is worth it for me."

"You've become a fine woman, Rimi," Ryuto purred.

* * *

"Lisa! Do you want to go out for an ice cream or something?" Ma Kenichi bounded up to her as the silver-haired girl wrapped up her conditioning. "It'll be a good rest from training!"

"Why don't you go with Tsubasa?" Lisa reminded him apathetically. "Is she busy or something?"

"Yeah, but that's not why I'm asking," Ma Kenichi was surprised at the accusation. "I just thought we haven't spent time together in a long time, so we ought to go out and chat for a while."

"You know I've never been one to chat," Lisa rejected. "I think I'll decline. Plus, why don't you get some training in? You've been neglecting martial arts lately, haven't you?"

"N-no, of course not!" Ma Kenichi lied. "You're right, though, I could stand to be a little more thorough! I'll go find gramps and get him to teach me some Kenpo."

"That's a good decision," Lisa noted, picking up her pack and journeying to the park in search of her master.

"No good?" Sakaki asked Ma Kenichi as he rounded the corner.

"Nope," the boy shook his head, his long black braid wagging from the motion. "Instead she said I should get on my training again."

"That's true. You're a really lazy kid, you know that? Why don't you pick up the good things from your parents, eh?" Sakaki shook his head and turned to the kitchen to grab another bottle of sake.

"Gramps! Gramps, where are you?!" Ma Kenichi called with resignation to resume his training.

* * *

Ryuto's long elegant fingers massaged Lisa's leg, a special infusion of his own ki stimulating the dormant ki in the girl's legs.

The familiar slight burning tingled up her spine, her muscles feeling worked out even as she sat idle.

Rimi watched on, recalling the time Ryuto performed Raido on her.

Ryuto massaged on carefully, taking special care to not use Raido in too much concentration for fear of something going wrong. The trauma left behind from his past abusive master took it's toll on him by giving him an absurd concern for other disciples. It pained him to see students in pain or suffering. Now Lisa was under his care, and if he messed up the technique she would die.

Lisa's arms shook. Something was happening. It didn't feel negative; it felt alive. Like she'd been climbing a difficult mountain all her life and she was nearing the top. The precipice she was at felt like a turning point; if she kept on with how things were going now, she would reach the edge and fall into something much better than where she was now.

Something was happening to Lisa; she could feel it in her legs, her arms, and especially her head. A buzzing feeling tickled her mind whenever Ryuto used Raido on her, and the sensation was amazing.

Her pupils dilated, and Lisa was glad to be on Raido.

* * *

"It's time," Eri said to Katsuo. "My master gave the order."

"Okay," Katsuo sighed. "I guess there's no avoiding it any longer."

* * *

"Lisa, can you accompany Katsuo and I to a karaoke lounge?" Eri said after school one day as she bounded to Lisa's classroom.

Lisa glanced at her in suspicion. The last time she was invited to a karaoke lounge, Tommii Hitotsu challenged her to a battle. Lisa scanned Eri's face to search for dishonesty, but instead she found the familiar glint in her eye whenever she is gearing for a battle.

_So Eri is my challenger_, Lisa thought.

"Sure," Lisa agreed, not wanting to back out of the fight that would obviously eventually take place anyways.

The walk to the same abandoned parking lot was heavy, and Katsuo faced the ground the entire time without daring to glance at either Eri or Lisa.

When they arrived, Lisa set down her bag and took off her hat delicately. Eri and Katsuo had no change in expression, since it was obvious that she'd seen the battle coming.

"I'm fighting Eri today, right?" Lisa said, tying back her hair in a ponytail. She squatted next to her bag and fussed around inside it. "After my fight with Tommii, I started carrying the pieces to my staff around with me everywhere like my mother used to just in case. Looks like I'll need it today."

"Yes, you're right. This won't be an easy battle," Eri predicted. "But you're not just fighting me."

"What do you mean?" Lisa inquired curiously.

"You're fighting Katsuo _and_ me," Eri grinned mischievously. "At the same time."

"That's unfair," Lisa said after a small pause. "I have my doubts that I'll be able to beat Eri by herself, and I definitely don't think I can win against both of you combined."

"That's kind of the idea," Eri reminded her. "The point of these battles isn't to win against us, Lisa. It's for us to evaluate your skill and determine whether you're worthy to be one of the top members of Yoakeko."

"Right," Lisa recalled. "I didn't exactly win against Tommii, but he passed me along anyways. So, what, I just have to stand a good chance against you two?"

"That's correct," Eri said, tying her long luxurious brown hair in a side ponytail in preparation for the battle.

"Katsuo," Lisa turned to him. He reluctantly met her eye. "Don't worry. Even when I lose, I won't be mad at you. You don't have to be concerned about that. Friends in Satsujinken don't have to feel bad about these things, right?" Katsuo's hesitancy dissipated and he smiled widely in admiration.

"Of course," he grinned.

"Well, now that the formalities are out of the way," Eri rolled her eyes at the student council secretary. "Let's begin the battle."

"Yes," Lisa nodded.

"I, Katsuo Yamashita, disciple of Ryuto Asamiya and one of the top members of Yoakeko, and Eri Kuroki, disciple of Rachel Stanley and second in command of Yoakeko, challenge you to a match," Katsuo announced with grandeur.

"I, Lisa Kugenin- daughter of two ex-Ragnarok fists, ex-disciple of History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi Shirahama, and current disciple of Yomi's Atlantae, Rimi Kokorone- accept your challenge," she answered.

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama glanced up sharply and stared at the sky. Soon after, the other Ryouzanpaku masters did the same.

"What is this feeling?" Akisame Koetsuji asked.

"Something is happening!" Apachai noted.

"I can't be sure if it's bad or good," Miu said.

"A powerful ki is nearby," Kenichi Shirahama said. "It's evolving. Someone is about to undergo a huge change in the next few hours." The other masters nodded and murmured their agreement.

"Who... could it be?" Shigure asked quietly from the ceiling.

"It might not be someone we know," Ma Kensei walked into the room with Ma Kenichi at his heels. "It could be just anyone."

"That's not very likely. No one significant has been here for years," Akisame pointed out. "It could be a new enemy just as easily as a random person."

"Whatever it is, it's not a threat to us right now," Sakaki grumbled. "We should leave it alone until something else more _substantial_ happens."

"How strange," Ma Kensei observed. "Usually Sakaki is the first to go scrambling to find things out!"

"Don't talk as if I'm some stupidly curious child!" Sakaki fumed. "I'm just saying that some feeling we all got is probably not a big deal!"

"Sakaki-sensei's right," Kenichi Shirahama said warily. "We don't have to do anything yet. But we should keep our eyes open for anything suspicious."

"Of course," the other masters agreed.

Ma Kenichi and Sakaki exchanged glances. Was it something related to Lisa's philandering?

Or was it Lisa herself?


	20. Eosophobia

Chapter 20

Eosophobia

* * *

"Rimi Style, Falcon Kill!" Lisa said, sticking to Rimi's techniques at the beginning but still using her staff for brief defensive purposes. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her, nervousness at the thought of fighting her rival again overcoming her but this time accompanies by the enjoyment of the challenge of fighting said rival along with another of her friends.

Eri Kuroki and Katsuo Yamashita, although they'd attacked first, were already in a defensive position. Lisa's training and treatments had already led to an exponential increase in strength and she was handling their attacks easily.

"Eri Whip!" Eri called the name of one of her own attacks and maneuvered gracefully behind Lisa, acrobatically snapping her legs at her and drawing them back in a whip-like fashion.

Lisa had become faster, and before Eri could draw her legs back from the attack she'd already grabbed the girl's legs and used a Jujitsu flip to make her unstable and drop her to the ground.

Eri used a special Lucha Libre technique specifically designed to get out of grips and cartwheeled to a safe distance to recompose herself.

Katsuo, at the same time but on Lisa's opposite side, attacked as well.

"Hell's Head Kick!" he called. The boy rushed up to Lisa with difficulty, grimly avoiding her defensive techniques, and lifted her into the air to throw her downward. Once she was falling, although she was easily prepared to break her own fall, Katsuo threw a kick at her face.

It would have landed, but Lisa's flexibility proved to be superior as she weaved her way away from the attack.

"Rimi Style, Floating Kite's Diving Strike!" Lisa called the name of her next attack. Once the tip of her foot touched the ground, she pushed off again and flipped into the air. Eri, recovered from her earlier failed attack, chased her into the air. The two pushed off each other and rose into the sky with each blow that made contact with the other.

Katsuo squinted at them, their battle for some reason now taking place in the sky. He glanced around to see if there was some way he could help Eri. He used the down time to think of a strategy that may defeat Lisa, but the only flaws in Lisa's ability he could think of were trivial and so minor that they could hardly be of any use at all.

"Rimi Style, Falcon Dive!" He heard Lisa call. She twisted her body so she was pointed downwards and was plummeting and a frighteningly fast pace. "Kugatachi Style, Shigure Samidare!"

Spinning her staff like a propeller and twisting her body around it in harmony, Lisa managed to slow down her fall and bounce off the ground like it was a trampoline, flipping one last time in the air before landing solidly on the ground.

"Kugatachi Style, Lisa Technique: Korosu Ame," Lisa aimed a technique in the style she'd invented herself to accommodate her Satsujinken needs; a kill shot. Katsuo took up a defensive stance.

She thrust her staff forward like a spear, but at the last minute redirected the blow to the ground which shot her into the air. She flipped behind them and spear-thrusted again at Katsuo. He managed to move out of the way enough for it to not be fatal, but it pierced his shoulder all the way through as if the staff had a blade on it.

Eri finally landed just then and saw Katsuo's wound. She glanced at Lisa in surprise, but instantly returned to challenge mode, her eyes wild with the blood-thirsty sadism she was known for.

"Eri Cradle Flip!" She called, diving between Lisa's legs and popping up behind her with amazing speed. She wrapped her arms around Lisa's neck and leaped into the air, the intention being to snap her neck. Eri well knew that Lisa wouldn't simply let that happen and the girl was in no danger of dying.

"Kugatachi-Rimi Style," Lisa decided to use a technique she'd invented herself, as well; a technique that was clever combination of both her mother's staff style and her master's style of ancient martial arts. She'd only thought of this technique the past week, and she'd never used it in battle before. "Hiraku Chōgenbō Sora!"

Lisa was fond of taking the battle into the sky, and this one included the air as well. The attack's name literally meant "Open Kestrel Sky," and Lisa's silhouette became that bird of prey descending on them from the wide sky.

Eri went up to meet her, but Lisa's staff moved quickly and sharply, extended like a bird's talon. The staff ripped through Eri's clothes and slashed through her skin, blood spilling out. To complete the technique, Lisa twisted around in mid-air and double kicked Eri's chin. Eri tumbled to the ground, both she and Katsuo now defeated.

The air grew still when Lisa touched back down to the ground. The three Satsujinken martial artists breathed laboriously, but they were also still. When Katsuo struggled to look up at Lisa, he thought he saw the familiar sight of her ki becoming visible, a flame-like wave emanating from her body.

She seemed to glow, but it was a harsh light that looked agonizing. Lisa widened her eyes. _What's happening? What is this feeling? It hurts-_

Lisa's ki, quickly and violently, swelled to a size it had never reached before. Since she did not know of ki, she was in a state of confusion and concern. She dropped to her knees, gripping the ground as if it might steady her. The ki's growth in her was impossible for her to handle, especially since she'd never experienced ki before. Still she didn't sense of feel her own ki, but the pain it caused was very much real. It was also that much more traumatizing since she had no idea what the cause of the pain was.

Lisa did not scream, but instead threw up, shuddering and squirming. She groaned and grunted as one does when swallowing the most disgusting thing ever tasted.

It ended quite quickly, which surprised Katsuo. When he'd witnessed this happen to the President, it had spanned about an hour. Why was Lisa's evolution much smaller?

"Lisa... you're..." Eri gasped, tears of defeat in her eyes. After all, she hadn't just lost the battle. Their rivalry meant nothing now that Lisa was on another level. "You're a...master."

"No... I'm not," Lisa seemed to know the response to that. She shuddered and turned to Eri. "I'm not... a full master. I'm only a master in my staff style, as a Soujutsu user."

"Not completely?" Eri blinked. Then she smiled slowly and weakly. "Great. That means I can... still... catch up." She fell unconscious.

"Can you stand?" Lisa asked Katsuo, struggling to her feet. Even after the brief ordeal, she felt many times taller.

"I-I think so," Katsuo said with a smile. "You're so amazing, Lisa. If I had half your talent I'd already be a master by now."

"You'll get there too, Katsuo," Lisa reminded him. "Ryuto Asamiya is a good master. He will turn you into a master for sure."

"Thanks for the battle, Lisa," he bowed slightly and limped away, still clutching his pierced shoulder.

"Katsuo, what about Eri?" she asked calmly.

"Don't worry! Her master will come pick her up before she dies!" Katsuo called behind him.

Lisa didn't really care about Eri herself; she just wanted her rival to still be alive and ready for their next battle in the future.

Lisa sped back home before the masters could see her and her blood-spattered staff and washed up. She didn't have any serious wounds on her, but Sakaki and Ma Kenichi could still tell that she'd been fighting.

_This is getting annoying and repetitive_, Sakaki thought to himself.

_When will it stop?_ Ma Kenichi wondered.

* * *

"Lisa, can I talk to you?" Kenichi Shirahama pulled her into a separate room. "Sakaki, Shigure, I'd like to talk to her alone if you don't mind."

Shigure left without a word and Sakaki grumbled on his way out.

"Yes, Ken-sensei?" she asked slowly, almost forgetting to address him as her master.

"You've had a big change in your life recently, haven't you?" he asked calmly. Lisa flinched. How did he know about her evolution?

"Who-?"

"Your ki is that of a master-class martial artist, but judging from its texture I'd say you've only mastered your staff style," Kenichi went on. Lisa looked down. She'd forgotten about that thing she couldn't sense.

"Yes, sir," she nodded, looking back up at this man. She couldn't deny that although he'd neglected her, she still was impossibly fond of him and she still respected him. Kenichi was History's Strongest Disciple, and possibly the most powerful man in the world.

Lisa recalled the days in America when she'd decided as a young girl, at the tender age of 8, that she was old enough to become a martial artist. Freya had been fiercely against the idea of a child leaving home so young, but Kenichi persuaded her that under his tutelage Lisa would grow as a martial artist and she would be safe. Freya decided to trust him with her only daughter and, at the time, only child.

Lisa didn't regret that she'd left so early, and she definitely did not regret her years training with Kenichi Shirahama. She'd learned a lot, and Kenichi had treated her like his daughter.

"Lisa," Kenichi's voice interrupted her reminiscence. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I want you to know that I'm very proud of you."

_Eh?_

"What for?" Lisa asked in confusion.

"Your mastery of your staff style is amazing for you, and I'm so glad," he smiled with delight. "But I want to apologize to you."

Lisa remained silent. She didn't bother telling him that he owed her no such apology, because they both knew he did.

"You don't know how much I regret not having been much help these past months," he said, looking down. "I don't know why, and I know it's no excuse, but I've been so distracted lately and I've had so much doubt. I wish I'd helped you on your way to becoming a master, but now I can hardly call myself your sensei."

"You did help me," Lisa said earnestly. "If it weren't for you, I would be just as weak as when you took me in. I trained with you for about 5 years since then, and I've learned so much. Of course, I wish you'd helped me more recently as well, but I've found other ways to grow."

"I just want to put a lot of emphasis on how proud I am," Kenichi repeated quickly. "I'm proud that you reached your level on your own. But, of course, you should know that your journey has just begun."

"Of course," Lisa nodded. "I'm not even a full master. I won't stop training as hard as I can."

"That's what I like to hear," he smiled widely. "If you like, I could teach you a technique I invented especially for you tomorrow." Lisa wanted to say no, but when she looked at his earnest face and trusting eyes, the familiar ones she'd practically grown up with, she changed her mind. _One lesson couldn't hurt, _Lisa mentally shrugged to herself.

"Sure," she answered.

* * *

Several months passed after Lisa's evolution. Spring was becoming evident in their town, Eri and Katsuo's wounds were now but painless scars, and everything that had once been stirred was now at rest.

For a while, Lisa didn't think at all about Yoakeko. Her entire life consisted of Raido treatments, training with Rimi, and school (which she did little work in but still managed to get slightly above average grades).

Since he found out about Lisa's affiliations with Yoakeko, Ma Kenichi had been training hard with his grandfather. Ma Kensei hadn't forced Ma Kenichi into training because, for one thing, the boy wasn't his disciple, but also because Ma Kenichi probably didn't have a lot of social experience. Kensei knew for a fact that Renka, the boy's mother, was a very protective woman and probably did not let him interact with many people his own age, forcing him to do little other than intense Chinese Kenpo training. Besides that, Ma Kenichi had spent the rest of his life with Tanimoto Natsu, who probably gave him no room to socialize.

Ma Kenichi, being the son of Takeda Ikki as well, was a social creature and probably resented that he'd never been able to have a proper friend (other than Lisa, but we all know what a great friend _she_ is).

So Ma Kenichi had wasted a few months of training, but he fooled himself into thinking he made up for it with the past few months of extremely rigorous training he put himself through with only small breaks for school and Tsubasa.

"Kenichi-i-i-i-i!" A call rang out from the front of Ryouzanpaku. Ma Kenichi and Kenichi Shirahama both glanced up from their martial arts practice, but all the occupants from the dojo went out to see what was up.

"Hey, Honoka!" Kenichi Shirahama smiled at her, quickly putting his shirt back on. "What brings you he-? Tanimoto!"

There he was, Tanimoto Natsu, clad in casual clothes rather than his Hermit attire, looking annoyed as Honoka kept her firm grip on his arm.

"Na-chan was in town and thought he should come by!" she said sweetly.

"Don't drag people against their will and then lie about it!" Tanimoto snapped at her, but didn't make a powerful move to get away; he just tugged at his arm as if his desire to leave was only a vague inclination.

"Tani-sense-e-ei!" Me Kenichi cried, running out of the dojo with tears in his eyes and his arms extended. "You came back for me!"

"Let's say I was bored," he answered. At this, the embarrassed master easily slipped out of Honoka's grip and got out of his disciple's way.

"What is Tanimoto-sensei doing here?" Lisa blinked as she approached the dojo with Eri and Katsuo behind her. After their fight, there were no hard feelings and they visited Ryouzanpaku quite often.

Tanimoto turned to the trio as Kenichi Shirahama explained that he'd just arrived. He squinted at Eri and Katsuo, and somehow the two knew that he was aware of their strength and abilities as martial artists.

"You," Tanimoto pointed a grand finger at Katsuo. "Get over here."

"M-Me?" Katsuo asked in excitement. He'd wanted to meet Tanimoto Natsu his entire life!

"Who do you think I'm pointing at? Just come here," Tanimoto snapped. Katsuo didn't mind his rudeness and bounded over happily. Eri and Lisa eyed them suspiciously.

"Sir?" Ma Kenichi looked confused.

"You and my disciple are going to fight," Tanimoto informed Katsuo. The wavy-haired boy blinked his wide eyes and turned to Ma Kenichi, who shrugged as if to say, _it was gonna happen sooner or later._

"Okay!" he answered happily.

"Here's what's gonna happen," Tanimoto said. Kenichi and Honoka Shirahama as well as the other occupants of Ryouzanpaku looked on in bewilderment, clearly confused at what Tanimoto was suddenly doing on his own. "You will each launch your strongest attack at each other, and whoever is injured after it will be the winner. One attack, and that's it, got it?"

"Sure!" Both boys agreed cheerfully, already used to being around strange masters.

"Never in my life have I seen such ready-to-please disciples," Akisame Koetsuji noted, stroking his mustache as he observed the spectacle.

"Get ready," Tanimoto muttered to the boy. "Go!"

"Kyousa!" Ma Kenichi called.

"Shintoukei!" Katsuo called.

Long story short, Ma Kenichi's defeat devastated him and left him sulking for a long time.

"That's what happens when you skip training for a month," Tanimoto snarls. "Even Freya's brat didn't wimp out without her master even though she's a year younger and scrawnier!"

"I wonder which part of that sentence I should be offended by," Lisa mused calmly.

"I would take it as one big offense," Eri offered.

"Whatever," Tanimoto scoffed. "You're gonna have to do some serious training if you want to catch up with that girl-brat, got it?"

"Yes, Tani-sensei," Ma Kenichi nodded, still pouting but now also determined and happy to be training with his master once more.

"We'll train in town for a year, till your school term ends, but then we're leaving again," Tanimoto said briskly. "Do you want to continue living here or with me?"

"With you!" he answered immediately. Ma Kenichi turned to the occupants of Ryouzanpaku. "I love it here, but I think my training would be best served with my master."

"I agree," Ma Kensei said, sad but happy that his grandson had chosen the path that would give him most success rather than most pleasure. "Good luck."

"Bye, everyone!" Ma Kenichi followed his master to wherever it was he was staying (only Honoka knew where that was).

"Bye! I'll be over to make dinner late-e-er!" Honoka called to them, then turned back to the Ryouzanpaku masters. "Well, I've gotta get ready for my class tomorrow! See ya!" She was a match teacher at the local high school and the sponsor for their Othello club.

"Well, _that_ was strange," Katsuo said, approaching his friends again.

"I'll say," Eri agreed.

* * *

"Hey, Lisa!" the President whispered at her window that night. Lisa rushed to that window and threw it open. The President stepped into her room in all his Egyptian glory.

"Hello, President," Lisa bowed slowly, a sign of deep respect in Japan. "What brings you here?"

"I have some news for you," he said. "First of all, you've been accepted as an officer of Yoakeko, and you are to replace the 2nd year representative."

"Replace him? I don't want anyone to get kicked out on account of me," Lisa blinked.

"He's dead anyways," the President shrugged.

"Oh, okay then," Lisa nodded. "I'm honored to accept the position."

"That's good," the President eyed her, and Lisa felt a frisson of gymnophoria.

"Anything else?" Lisa asked after they shared a moment staring at each other quite creepily.

"Oh, right," he seemed to recall something else. "The head of Yoake is initiating a civil tournament between Katsujinken and Satsujinken."

He explained Rachel Stanley's plan and intentions to Lisa.

"The tournament won't be for a long time; it's more than half a year away," the President wrapped up.

"Are we going to be in it?" Lisa asked.

"I won't, no," the President shook his head. "It's only for disciples. But you will, only if you don't use your staff techniques."

"You know about that?" Lisa smiled. The action was not familiar to her muscles, but she felt natural smiling at the President.

"How could I not?" he purred. "Anyways, I just wanted to give you fair warning."

"Warning?"

"Yes, warning," he repeated. "You better break the news to History's Strongest Disciple- you know, that you're Satsujinken- soon, because he'll probably try to enter you in the competition as a Living Fist Fighter." Lisa pursed her lips and looked at the floor.

"Thank you for telling me," Lisa nodded. "I'll tell him in time. I just don't know when."

"Don't feel so stressed," the President shrugged again. "There's a long time between now and the deadline. Now all that Yoakeko business is over, and you can relax."

"Yes," she let her shoulders drop. "I can relax."

* * *

_**YOAKEKO ARC, END.**_

* * *

_**Author's Note: I've made it 20 chapters! The first arc is over, and with it all the "Lisa focus" is probably going to ease up; I know she's irritating, but she's important.**_

_**I won't give a lot away about the next arc, but the basic plot of it revolves around Kenichi Shirahama and Miu (with some Siegfried and Freya here and there). Fear not; Lisa's grip on the story has finally loosened!**_

_**Thank you for reading at least up to this point. I hope you choose to read the next arc as well. There probably won't be a lot of straight up fighting, though; in case you didn't notice, I'm kind of getting sick of writing those, but, of course, there have to be fights every once in a while. There will never be a moment when there are absolutely no fights.**_

_**Thank you for your reviews; there aren't a lot of them, but each positive one warms my heart to no end and feeds my pride, and each negative one helps me figure out where I went wrong and become a stronger writer. Anything and everything helps, and I adore even the briefest reviews.  
**_

_**Goodbye, and I'll see you next week,  
**_

_**-JubJub**_


	21. Endan

Chapter 21

The Proposal Arc: Start

* * *

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here today," Kenichi sat opposite three of his friends at the restaurant they frequented, glancing around suspiciously as if anyone could possibly be seeking to eavesdrop. "I can assure you that it is of utmost importance."

"What is it?" Niijima asked, stroking his mustache curiously with an open notepad in front of him in case it was important enough to warrant notes.

"It may seem out of nowhere, but I'm telling you, there is a method to all of this," Kenichi reassured, although none of the three needed reassurance.

"Just spit it out!" Tanimoto spat, squirming in his casual clothes. He was now unaccustomed to wearing his Hermit attire, and sitting with three other people like old friends made him triply uncomfortable.

"Okay," Kenichi sighed. "I will. But first, I'm going to ask you each a question."

"What could it be?" Siegfried inquired with his usual sing-song tone.

"Niijima, Tanimoto, Siegfried," Kenichi inhaled and exhaled deeply as he glanced at each. "I need to ask you about women."

"Women?" the three asked in confusion.

"Then why am I even here?" Tanimoto demanded gruffly.

"Gah! Is that a question?" Niijima laughed. "You were Prince Tanimoto! You could have had any women who'd ever laid eyes on you, even Miu if you'd tried!"

"Hey!" Kenichi objected, but Niijima waved him away.

"Still, what in the world makes you think I'd give _you_ advice?" Tanimoto growled. "It's not like I all of a sudden started liking you!"

"_Please_ help me!" if he hadn't been sitting at a table, Kenichi would have openly fallen to his knees and scraped his forehead against the floor. "I'm hopeless! I have no idea what I'm doing! I'd never even spoken to a female outside of my family until I was 16!"

"It's true," Niijima affirmed.

"That's just pathetic," Tanimoto scoffed. "Listen, Shirahama, I'm only telling you this so you'll get out of my hair. But are you really stupid enough to ask me for advice?"

"What?" Kenichi was confused. This was a great idea, in his opinion.

"If Miu wanted me, she wouldn't fallen in love with _you_!" he raised his voice pointedly. "What are you asking for womanizing techniques for?"

"Not womanizing!" Heat rose to Kenichi's face. "Just... how to stay on a girl's good side! That's all!"

"Well, in my experience," Tanimoto muttered. "All it takes is thinking of them- especially their feelings and stuff- before your own. Girls like it when you're really considerate." Niijima let out a brief chuckle.

"That's your advice? To be nice?" Niijima laughed. "Maybe that worked on high school girls, but no way will that work on a grown woman!"

"Whatever! I gave my opinion, now I'm leaving!" Tanimoto disappeared as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Bye!" the three called after him.

"Is your advice different?" Kenichi asked, turning to Niijima.

"Of course! You were wise to come to me, weak-knees!" Niijima crossed his arms triumphantly. "After all, a married man has much more experience than a high school romancer!"

"Whatever, alien," Kenichi grumbled, resenting Niijima's use of his old nickname. "Just tell me."

"Alright; this is what happened:

* * *

"When you left a year or two after high school, everyone obviously knew about you and Miu's relationship (or at least what it would become), and Izumi was heartbroken. She felt like a loser, which she technically was, and like she wasn't good enough for a man.

[Kenichi: "That's brutal! She's your wife!"; Niijima: "So what? Don't interrupt me!"]

"She came to me and asked me for help; I guess to become a better woman, or a prettier one or whatever. Since I gather data, she rightly assumed that I knew what most of the guys liked in girls. And since I'm _such_ a nice guy, I decided to give her a hand.

"So I let her have my data. She did a bunch of stuff to her hair so it would look better, she started wearing contacts, wore different clothes, and the worst part was when she tried to lose weight in any way that she could. Since I said I would help her, I let Izumi do whatever she thought she had to, but I definitely thought anorexia was an extreme step to take."

[Kenichi:"A-anorexia?"; Siegfried:"That's horrible!"]

"Yeah, well I thought it was pretty horrible too. But her determination was admirable. I guess I kinda liked her then, and I started thinking of her like a woman instead of some pathetic girl I had to help out.

"Eventually, I got sick of watching Izumi do that to herself. We argued, but as always I got my way and stopped helping her. She was killing herself, I didn't want that on my conscience, and I had no powerful desire to help her get a man anyways. I even tried to get her to stop it all, but somehow my persuasion techniques didn't work against her! It was perplexing, but if even _my _powers didn't work there would be no dissuading her.

"So Izumi and I parted ways. She kept trying, trying to gather data on her own. Of course, it was useless since there was no way her amateurish information gathering skills could compare with my superior experience! I went to college and came back here with a job as a newspaper journalist some years later. Even when I came back to town, Izumi and I didn't speak for a long time.

"One day, her eating disorder got to the point where she had to be hospitalized. Naturally, since I initially supported her aim, I felt responsible and went to see her. Not to mention the fact that if she was going to die, I didn't want her to go around telling people it was my fault.

"So I visited her. I'll never forget how much she'd changed; she looked weak, flimsy. Her cheeks were sunken, her bones were _visible_. Her hair and makeup were flawless, of course, but it was sad to see such a cute girl become nothing more than skin on bones. It was scary to think that Izumi was depressed enough about herself that she thought she needed to do this.

"Then I did something I hadn't done since, quite literally, the day I was born. I cried.

"It wasn't those silent manly tears either; I kicked and screamed and threw a fit. But just as soon as they came, I pushed the sadness away and turned to Izumi with anger. I was mad at her for letting it get this far! These are the first words she said to me when I'd finished ranting:

"'It's good to see you.' Just like that. No response, no anger or sadness or grudge for having left her. She always was this impossibly sweet, naive girl. She wasn't even mad!

"For a moment, I thought about leaving. After all, if she wasn't mad there was no reason for me to be worried that she might blame me. But something held me back. Then I kind of started yelling again.

"I called her a lot of names. I was in a phase where I was fond of name-calling, but they were all true at the time. Foolish girl. Idiot. Always making stupid decisions. And to each one she smiled. After each name I called her, she just said 'thank you,' like it was a pleasure to have me insult her.

"Later on, I found out that no one else who visited had blamed her or gotten mad. There was sympathy, pity, sadness without direction, but no one had reacted like I did. No one said it was her fault, when everyone knew that it in fact was.

"Anyways, when I was finished yelling we both fell silent for a while, each of us staring at each other. She laughed at my mustache, asked how I've been doing, and generally was the same sweet girl she was in high school. Right then and there, I decided I would cut her a deal.

"I said, 'Izumi! You did this because you thought you weren't good enough. Don't argue, you told me so yourself all that time ago. So I'm going to dare you to do something you might not want to at first, but I promise it'll be worth your while.'

"She asked me what it was, of course, and I said, 'You think you're not good enough for a man? You think you're so pathetic? I dare you to marry me, and I bet you'll beat anorexia and make me happy at the same time.' It was by no means quick, but she eventually regained weight and beat the disorder, and she also went back to wearing glasses and braids again. She was cuter that way anyways."

"So we got married, had a baby, and that was that!"

* * *

Kenichi and Siegfried stared at Niijima in silence. Neither had heard this story before, and it was so shocking, appalling, and downright mind-boggling that they were left speechless for a long moment.

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Okay..." Kenichi massaged his temples. "So, ignoring your meanness to your own wife, what you're telling me about my problem is what exactly?"

"No! Don't ignore the meanness!" Niijima snapped with annoyance. "That was the whole thing! In my experience, you have to be mean to girls!"

Kenichi and Siegfried both blinked.

"Think about it! She _appreciated_ the fact that I called her names!" Niijima waved his arms. "This is revolutionary information! You've gotta be cruel to be kind, as they say!"

"My lord, I think you missed the point of your own story," Siegfried pointed out curiously.

"Oh yeah? Well, why are _you_ here?" Niijima demanded. "You're not married, and you don't have a history of being good with women?"

"I as well was curious about that," Siegfried and Niijima turned to Kenichi. "Why am I here, commander?"

"Oh! Well," Kenichi blushed and scratched his head. "I-I guess since you have a child with Freya, you must have... I mean, you know..."

"Oh! You're wondering how Siegfried got laid!" Niijima laughed. He turned again to his old subordinate. "Well, Siggy? How'd it happen?"

"Nothing much happened, really," Siegfried shrugged. "Of course, I'd always respected her as a martial artist, so it isn't really that strange at all.

"She left to America to study law, since she'd always been keen on justice," Siegfried recalled, vocalizing his story as if it were a ballad. "Ukita hardly cared at all, and what with his obvious affections towards Kisara, Freya had no choice but to back off. She wasn't very happy about that, but a woman like her had to know when enough was enough.

"I went with her to America because I thought it might be a good idea to start my symphony there! My idea was to combine the melodies of all my experiences- battle, hope, fear, friendship- into one song! It really was quite wonderful.

"However, it wasn't going so well. Something was missing, although I didn't know what. Freya wasn't doing so well either! She was losing a lot of sleep and her classes were taxing; her English was strong, but finding work was still difficult for her!

"We spent a lot of time together as platonic friends, but eventually we started doing it-"

"Wait, _what_?!" Kenichi shrieked. "Eventually you started d-d-doing it?"

"What does that even mean?" Niijima asked in confusion.

"Well, it was all so natural I can't really think of an instance where either of us actively seduced the other," Siegfried admitted with his usual singer's voice. "I do remember the first time, though. Do you want me to relay that to you as well?"

"Definitely not," Niijima and Kenichi said quickly in unison.

"Very well!" Siegfried shrugged happily. "Anyways, she was with child, and I stayed with them until Lisa was several years old. At that time, my symphony was coming along nicely, but the melody of friendship and nostalgia was growing too thin in my memory. I longed to return to Japan, but of course I had a responsibility in America.

"In the end, Freya knew what I wanted to do and told me to go. I argued a little bit, but one does not simply win an argument against women, and definitely not Freya. So I came here and promised to return when I finished my symphony. Now I'm just revising and practicing, so I guess I'll be rejoining her soon!"

"But you weren't married?" Kenichi asked.

"That's true! From what you've told us it seems you've both had plenty of opportunities to marry," Niijima nodded.

"There were several reasons," Siegfried said. "Number 1! Freya was not entirely over Ukita when all this happened! Number 2! We both knew I would be traveling a lot while working on my symphony! Number 3! We never really discussed that since neither of us really brought it up!

"But do you want to?" Niijima and Kenichi leaned in and stared at the musician. "Do you _want_ to get married?"

"Sure," Siegfried grinned. "I would not have planted my seed in her if I did not want a future!"

"Siggy!" Kenichi blushed profusely at his metaphor. Niijima rolled his eyes at him.

"Well, that's interesting. I've never heard that story before," Niijima said to Siegfried.

"I've never told it before!" he admitted.

"Aaargh!" Kenichi smacked his forehead down on the table, which cracked a little from the force of the action.

"What? What's wrong?" Niijima asked in alarm.

"This is so confusing!" Kenichi whined in panic. "Tanimoto said I should be nice to girls! You told me I should be mean! And now Siegfried told me to do nothing! What am I going to _do_!"

"What are you going to do about what?" Niijima asked. "You never told us what you were asking for!"

"Why are you panicking so much? As far as I know, nothing has changed in your relationship with Miu since you arrived, commander," Siegfried reminded.

"Yeah, but I'm planning something big," Kenichi said. "I'm planning to do something that could change my life, and her life, forever. Something I've been thinking about doing since I first became a master, something I've wanted to eventually do since we first discussed our dreams together. Something I hope will make her happy, something I hope won't be a total mistake. Something fragile, important, nerve-racking, and impossibly scary."

"You don't mean-?"

"Yes, Niijima," he said with conviction. "I'm going to propose to Miu. I'm going to ask her to marry me."


	22. Acrasia

Chapter 22

Acrasia

* * *

As was his way, Haruo Niijima took it upon himself to notify the whole town of Kenichi Shirahama's planned proposal.

Of course, Kenichi didn't want this to happen; in fact, he gave his alien ally a good thrashing once he found out, but the damage was done and obviously irreversible. The only one who did not know was Miu, and although one might think she would eventually discover the truth, everyone in the city was excited to be let in such a clandestine loop.

Plus, the fact that Kenichi and Miu were both known powerful martial artists lent to their silence a bit as well.

The masters of Ryouzanpaku were the tricky part; they could care less about how mad Kenichi would be if Miu found out because of them, and the masters were bad a hiding things like this anyways.

Kenichi hoped desperately that this wasn't a terrible mistake. After all, Miu's lifelong dream was to be a beautiful bride. The beautiful part was no trouble at all, but Kenichi wanted to propose to her in the most perfect way possible, and to make both her wedding and married life a brilliant success.

Miu was a huge part of his dream, Kenichi knew, and he wanted to be a part of her dream as well.

* * *

_What's going on?_ Miu Fuurinji thought suspiciously. All the passers-by were whispering secretively, some pointing at Kenichi and Miu as they passed by.

Miu turned to examine Kenichi. Nothing seemed different in his facial expression. She glanced back at the groceries they were collecting, a sack several times Kenichi's size and exponentially heavier than him being dragged effortlessly through the dirt.

_Maybe they're surprised at how strong we are_, Miu thought. But it didn't feel like that. After so many years with Ryouzanpaku in town the other residents should already be used to such oddities by now.

_Perhaps it's Kenichi himself,_ Miu mused. It would not be strange for them to still be surprised that the boy they once knew as Weak-Knees Shirahama had turned into History's Strongest Disciple.

But she did not think it was that either. Their glances weren't surprised or fearful; they were sneaky, mischievous, and uncannily presumptuous.

Miu shrugged. If it was important, the other masters would let her know what it was. Just as well, she stayed on her guard in case something was amiss in the town.

"Miu?" Kenichi asked with concern. "Is something wrong? You're so tense!"

"Nothing much," Miu smiled, relaxing again. "I thought something was suspicious, but I guess it was just me."

"Oh, it's probably nothing!" Kenichi lied, glancing around and once again mentally cursing Niijima for spreading the word.

Miu giggled. There was nothing to worry about. If Kenichi wasn't making a huge fuss about her safety, then it probably wasn't a big deal.

* * *

"My uncle is gonna propose to his girlfriend," Ma Kenichi explained to Tsubasa, forgetting for the moment that Kenichi Shirahama technically wasn't his biological uncle.

"That's nice," Tsubasa said curtly. "Anyways, do you understand this algorithm? It's-"

"Yeah, it _is_ nice," Ma Kenichi nodded slowly. "You know they've known each other since the beginning of high school!"

"I'm surprised they haven't gotten sick of each other yet," Tsubasa said with a note of sarcasm. "Listen, are you gonna focus or am I wasting my time? I have stuff to do!"

"Ah, but you'd much rather helps the poor, stupid Chinese boy because I is bad with Japanese," Ma Kenichi feigned bad grammar.

"First of all, we're working on math, not Japanese. Secondly, don't pity yourself. If you'd pay attention the _first_ time I explained something, maybe you'd at least be passing your classes," she shot back sharply. "I don't understand why you won't put all your effort into this."

"I only put effort into things that interest me," he said, eying Tsubasa carefully.

"Like your precious martial arts?" heat rose to her face.

"Mhm. Like that," he continued to stare, then turned his gaze to the worksheet.

"_Anyways_, back to business," Tsubasa snapped back to attention, her face still red from Ma Kenichi's stare-down.

Ma Kenichi was still not listening, and they both knew it. However, what Tsubasa did not know was the thought that was _actually_ occupying Ma Kenichi's diminutive brain.

_Uncle Shirahama is proposing to Miu, and love is in the air_, he thought dramatically. _Maybe now is my chance!_

He made a snap decision just then; he would propose to Tsubasa. They'd known each other for several months, and they were obviously attracted to each other. Why waste time with dating when they could make their wedding engagement now?

Of course, this was a terrible idea, but Ma Kenichi was determined to have Tsubasa agree to marry him.

He reexamined his future bride. He had no doubt that she was perfect for him, and it seemed common knowledge for them to be together. Any of the remaining few doubts Ma Kenichi was harboring disappeared immediately.

As far as Ma Kenichi was concerned, it was a done deal already.

* * *

"What's wrong, Tani-sensei?" Ma Kenichi asked later on as he trained. _I'm seriously out of shape!_ The Chinese boy thought as he went on.

"Don't call me that," Tanimoto snapped. "Did you know that Kenichi is proposing to Miu?"

"Yep! It's so exciting!" Ma Kenichi nodded enthusiastically as he wiped a stream of sweat from his forehead. "Uncle Shirahama is so brave!"

"I'll say," Tanimoto scoffed. "I can't believe he has the audacity!"

"Don't you want him to get married?" Ma Kenichi was confused. "All the other masters think they should have married a long time ago!"

"Am I all the other masters, brat?" he growled. "Get back to your conditioning!"

"Okay, okay, but really!" Ma Kenichi said. "What's wrong with Uncle Shirahama proposing to Miu?"

"Nothing is _wrong_ with it," Tanimoto mumbled. "But those two don't really know each other anymore. This is the first time they've lived together since high school!"

"Well, it _has_ been almost half a year since he got here," Ma Kenichi pointed out. "They spend time together almost every day! I think they've caught up plenty."

"This has nothing to do with you! I don't even know why I told you all that," Tanimoto snapped again, flushing at having revealed a personal thought. "Get back to work!"

* * *

"Is he absolutely certain about this?" Ryuto Asamiya paced back and forth. Katsuo Yamashita had already finished his conditioning, and was now working on ki fluxuation.

"I first heard it from an unreliable source, but I've heard it from several places since then," Katsuo affirmed. "I definitely think he's gonna ask her. The whole town is loving the gossip! Some people are saying that Kenichi Shirahama _has_ to marry Miu because he got her pregnant!"

"Of course not," Ryuto said with annoyance at the prospect. "They'd already be engaged if that was the case."

"I don't see why it's a big deal," Rimi pouted sorely from the other end of the room where Lisa was practicing a technique. "If they wanna get married, let them! Why do _you_ care, Ryuto?"

"Kenichi and Miu shaped my entire childhood," he answered briskly. "I don't know why, but I kind of feel violated now that they're going to get married."

"It's not certain yet," Lisa huffed. "Miu doesn't know about it yet, but the last time Kenichi asked her she said no."

"What? He's proposed to her before?" he jerked his head in her direction, an ungraceful movement that was uncharacteristic of the elegant Ryuto.

"Not _really_, but he hasn't kept his intentions secret," Lisa shook her head. "Miu was hesitant to marry right when Kenichi first returned."

"It might be a different story now that a lot of time has passed," Katsuo pointed out.

"Katsuo and Lisa, tell me about any concrete plans you hear about this issue," Ryuto ordered. "I'm going to talk to Kenichi to make sure he knows what he's doing."

"Can we talk about something else?" Rimi whined. "I don't want to talk about Miu Fuurinji anymore!"

"Awww, is Atlantae sore because she defeated you all those years ago?" Katsuo teased.

"Shut up, brat! Get back to your training!"

* * *

"Alright, the first Ryouzanpaku Wedding Committee meeting is now called to order!" Ma Kensei decreed, closing the kitchen doors and whispering the announcement so Miu wouldn't hear.

"What is this meeting for again?" Sakaki grumbled.

"Pay attention when I debrief you, Sakaki!" Kensei rolled his eyes. "We're talking about how to help Kenichi propose to Miu, and thinking of ideas for the big moment!"

"Apa! Yes! Let's help Kenichi!" Apachai nodded fervently.

"First of all, I'd like to point out that Kenichi might have problems being romantic," Akisame Koetsuji pointed out. "Since the boy has no experience, we might try a different tactic rather than straight-up romance."

"Quite right, Akisame," Ma Kensei agreed. "Which is why we should think _big_ instead of classic! I'm talkin' hot-air balloons, white doves, and jet-packs."

"What about... a quest?" Shigure ventured.

"What do you mean, Shigure?" Akisame asked.

"What if... Kenichi and Miu went on a mission... together," she said. "And... after Kenichi shows off his strength... he asks her."

"That's a great idea, but I don't think you're gonna find a mission hard enough to need sending both Kenichi _and_ Miu," Sakaki pointed.

"Apa! What if Apachai ask _all_ the birdies to pick up Kenichi and Miu!" Apachai offered. "Then Kenichi ask Miu while fly!"

"Yeah! That's a good idea!" Ma Kensei jotted the idea down. "I've got another idea! We send a bunch of martial artists to attack Miu, and Kenichi defends her!"

"Miu could take care of any threat like that all by herself," Akisame pointed out.

"How about a slide show?" Sakaki said gruffly. The other masters stared. "Kenichi could, um, make a picture show of their times, you know, _together_ since high school and show how far they've gotten since then."

"I don't think Kenichi has the finesse for that, but I like how you're thinking," Ma Kensei fussed, scribbling the idea down. "How about we make a _huge_ banner with their faces of them and the words 'will you marry me' just below and tack it up on the side of a building in down town!"

"What if Miu doesn't see it?"

"Duh! We take her there!"

"Maybe we should rent a blimp. I mean, anyone can make a giant banner, but if we rented a _blimp..._"

"Ryouzanpaku can't afford that! Miu would kill Kenichi before agreeing to marry him if he wasted money like that!"

"I don't know, I thought Kensei's first idea about hot-air balloons was a keeper!"

"I liked the... jet packs idea."

The masters went on fussing and fretting about how to help their precious disciple propose. They thought of everything from a parade to a fireworks display to skydiving.

Soon after Kenichi came home, Miu called the masters and Lisa for dinner, and they all ate while exchanging suspicious glances and trying to hide their excitement.

_They're having way too much fun with this_, Kenichi reflected with exasperation.

* * *

"Hello, Elder," Kenichi Shirahama said with a wry smile as he knelt on the grass, the cemetery empty but for all the buried corpses.

There was no answer, but the grown up Kenichi did not expect one. He'd lost many friends in the past; that is the cost of becoming a powerful martial artist. There are many who try, and many who fail. Those who fail often don't come back.

"I have tortured myself over this a thousand times, and each time I have the same uncertain result," he started, not bothering to keep his voice down. "I don't know what I should do."

_Hayato Fuurinji. Beloved grandfather, like a parent to many, and a role model to all. _

Kenichi did not know how the Elder died, nor did he have the desire to know. At first he'd been curious to know what monstrous force was great enough to end the dangerously elite man's life, but Kenichi decided that no matter what it was, the Elder was not immortal and had to die at some point.

"At first I didn't know who to go to," Kenichi admitted. "I thought I ought to visit Saiga Fuurinji's grave, or maybe Shizuha Fuurinji, but in the end I realized Miu was raised by you. In the end I knew that you were the one who took care of her and saved her, trained her and turned her into the honorable, innocent, playful and strong woman she is today. In the end, I came to you."

A cold rush of wind tickled up Kenichi's spine. Instead of bowing his head in respect, he stretched his neck and stared at the sky with pride that Hayato Fuurinji had been one of his masters.

"I'm sure you already know what I'm planning," Kenichi chuckled. "You always seem to find these things out _somehow_."

This time the silence was disappointing. Kenichi knew not to expect a response, but chuckling to himself gave such a lonely feeling.

"I wish I could have been there at least," he whispered. "You were such an important part of my life, and not just for my training. You were like a father to me. I might have been able to change something if I'd been there. Maybe... I don't know, I could have done Raido on you or something. You might have lived long enough to see me become an Elite Master."

The wind picked up the pace, as if in warning.

"You probably wouldn't have wanted me to do Raido on you," Kenichi noted. "To live that long must have been hell. Everything around you was constantly changing, and you would never settled down. You were always on the move, whether it was raising Miu or running Ryouzanpaku. I don't think you wanted to die, but maybe you didn't want to live either."

He knew what to say next, but even if the man was dead Kenichi was afraid to anger him. He was so unsure.

Would the Elder have approved of the match? He knew that no one besides Kanou Shou had fought hard enough to deserve the honor of marrying Miu, and Kenichi had been in love with Miu for over ten years.

Kenichi formed a fist in determination.

"I came to ask your permission to marry Miu, but that seems silly now," Kenichi said firmly. "Miu and I are grown adults now. We can make decisions of our own, and I'm willing to take the risk of proposing to her. I'm confident that I'm strong enough now to protect her from anything, and to me that is more important than if I could have beaten you.

"I respect you, and I love you, Elder," Kenichi went on. "So it would kill me to lose _your_ respect and love. But this is a choice I made on my own, and I intend to see it through to the end."

There had been a weight on his shoulders ever since he first decided to propose. It was heavier and more torturous than any training he'd ever been through.

Kenichi breathed in deeply as the burden lifted.


	23. Halidom

Chapter 23

Halidom

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama knew that a proposal required more than a simple question, but whenever he tried to think of where he should begin a tremor of nerves shot through him.

He wanted it to be creative, but he wasn't a particularly adventurous or imaginative man. What was a guy to do? He knew Miu deserved a lot of effort and definitely something romantic, but what?

* * *

"'How to ask her to marry you'," Kenichi read the title out loud to himself, huddled in his room with one of his typical how-to books. "''First and foremost, the man must always take the initiative. He must be decisive, firm, and courageous. In fact, bravery is a must.' Well, I'm doomed."

"Idiot. That first part just says that if you really want to marry her, don't hesitate to ask," Niijima smacked his friend's head. Even despite Kenichi's power, he wasn't afraid of retaliation. "You'll survive! Keep reading."

"'Yadda, yadda, yadda…" Kenichi skimmed through and located an important paragraph. "Alright, here we are. 'The first thing you must consider is your time together and any places that might link you two together. A good starting point for novice grooms is the place. Where are you going to propose?' Is that true, Niijima?"

"I guess it is important, but it wasn't a big deal for me," he shrugged. "I think you and Miu have that 'connection' thing going on, and since women are very emotionally invested, she'll probably think it's more romantic if the place you propose to her at is important to both of you, or at least has _some_ significance."

"Right," Kenichi thought. "Where is just as important as how in a relationship like ours."

* * *

The first and most obvious choice would be the first place they met.

Kenichi strolled down the street leisurely, approaching the familiar streets of his childhood. The whole area looked the same as it had during his reunion with Ryuto, as well as during his distant childhood.

That fateful store where he first met the dazzling and astonishingly lithe girl he eventually fell in love with was almost the same too, but the old woman who'd once owned and run the store had passed away several years prior and was succeeded by her granddaughter.

"Hello, ma'am," Kenichi smiled with a slight nod in greeting. "Can I have a blue cream soda Puccho (ぷっちょ), please?"

"Y-yes," The woman was only a little younger than Kenichi and blushed in a girlish way. She turned briefly to pick his snack from a tin behind the counter and rang up the charge. "Is that all?"

"Yeah," Kenichi answered, oblivious and distracted. "Thank you."

Two little girls were huddled over the same pin machine he and Ryuto had visited all those years ago. A boy around the same age was inside the shop, his back turned against the cashier and obviously up to something.

The boy glanced back, and in that instance Kenichi saw a fist full of Hi-Chew (ハイチュウ) shoved in his pocket. The woman at the register was too caught up in ogling Kenichi that she didn't notice.

"Hey, kid," he said, laying a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder. "Do you need some help?"

"What do you want?" the boy snapped. "Who do you think you are? Get away from me, idiot!"

"I will, as soon as you return the Hi-Chew you have there," he gestured to the boy. "Aren't you a little young to be stealing?"

"Who cares? I can do whatever I want!" he stuck his tongue out at him. "I'm a martial artist, and you can't do anything to me!"

"A martial artist, eh?" Kenichi smiled gently in amusement. "Care to take me down?"

"You asked for it!" the boy didn't hesitate in taking up a very good martial arts stance and threw a punch that should have been impossible for one so young, but it didn't even hit Kenichi.

Before the boy even realized that Kenichi had moved, he was already beside the boy, reaching into his pocket, removing the stolen goods, and placing them back on the shelf. The boy finally noticed that his punch hadn't landed and pulled back just as Kenichi returned to his original spot.

"Wha-?" the boy turned a full circle, felt his lightened pocket, and glared at Kenichi. "What are you, some sort of martial artist?"

"Are you studying at a local dojo?" Kenichi asked politely. The boy nodded. "Tell your master that you met Kenichi Shirahama. I promise, it'll be interesting."

"Like I care," the boy pouted, but he was obviously fascinated. Kenichi turned back away and took his candy from the cashier's counter.

"Thank you!" Kenichi waved goodbye.

_This place is way too noisy and unstable_, Kenichi thought as he left. _Plus, our memories about this store are too vague. Maybe somewhere else_.

* * *

After breakfast, Siegfried sat at his desk with the intention of being productive. However, when he reviewed his symphony, there was nothing to add or improve.

He played quick scales on the piano, also practicing his rendition "Flight of the Bumblebees". Afterwards, he ran through countless other pieces he knew, but every arsenal has an end.

Siegfried thought about what he ought to do.

Lisa had been quite busy as of late with her super secret training; Siegfried knew just from the way she walked that she'd been training away from Kenichi; her style was getting more and more distant from her master's distinct style.

She probably would consider his intervention an impertinence. Siegfried sighed.

He hadn't spoken to Freya in many years; almost five now, since his last visit to America.

He recalled everything about her; despite his age at the time, Freya had been his first love. Siegfried wasn't the type, after all, to encourage many courtships. The times they'd spent entwined were some of his fondest memories.

His friends were all moving on and living big lives; Thor was the grand master of the largest sumo dojo in their prefecture. Ukita worked as in construction in the next town. Niijima was a journalist, Takeda a captain of a subdivision in the Phoenix Alliance, Freya a successful attorney in America, and Miu a master at Ryouzanpaku. Kenichi was a world-renowned martial artist, an adventure novelist, and a respected friend.

All members of the ex-Shinpaku Alliance were making it out there, and Siegfried was surviving on a grant from his university to create his masterpiece. It was finished now, but his confidence in its beauty was lacking.

"What to do now?" he sang to himself. "What to do?"

_What is this_? He thought, gripping his chest. _I don't know this melody._

When he stood, Siegfried observed the rest of his house. Empty, in perfect order, and lifeless.

Lonely.

_This melody is loneliness, _he thought with both fascination and panic. Siegfried decided he ought to do something to remedy that.

* * *

Kenichi Shirahama glanced around, placing his fingers on the yin-yang pin that still resided on his collar. Roads didn't change as much as buildings, so this one was practically identical to his memory of its past.

That day long ago when Kenichi was late for school, he rushed passed a beautiful girl who flipped him over with the dexterity of an assassin.

This was the very road that featured in their first reunion at the beginning of his life as a martial artist.

It was a boring street corner, but it held so much for him. Kenichi smiled as he remembered meeting his very first friend.

Perhaps it wasn't as important to Miu as it was to him. Kenichi sighed and continued to walk along it.

…

Koryou High School was the scene of many other adventures and dreams. Kenichi smiled in blissful nostalgia as he recalled everything; the various Shinpaku Alliance meetings, all of his friends, and even the Yomi invaders brought him happiness now as he reminisced.

It was a Saturday, so besides the occasional student there for extra tutoring and a stray staff member here and there, it was mostly empty. Kenichi easily entered and wandered around, coming to a halt in front of the door that the Shinpaku Alliance once met in.

He forced the door open with ease and was saddened that it looked so unremarkable. It was completely average, and it lacked the clandestine air of martial artists it once held.

Kenichi wandered around. He'd heard from Ma Kenichi that all martial arts clubs were disbanded, and he regretted contributing to the ruckus that would cause such a ban. Martial arts, he'd learned through his travels, was the soul purpose to many people's lives. Some even defined themselves by their physical power.

Kenichi briefly inspected every room, and quickly peeked in the principal's office. However, what he saw there was shocking.

He opened the principal's door entirely and gaped at the office.

On the wall behind the desk was a giant flag, and it wasn't the Japanese flag either; it was the familiar Shinpaku Alliance flag, with Haruo Niijima's obnoxious profile on it.

_Who's the principal now?_ Kenichi thought, and glanced at a picture frame on the desk. He smiled widely.

Matsui, the Shinpaku Alliance flag-bearer, and grown and gone on to be a successful man with a wife and a child, the principal of his old high school. Kenichi could tell that Matsui was still a good man, humble and caring enough to have a large picture of his family on his work desk.

However, Kenichi could see another picture peeking out behind the family photo. He carefully opened the back of the frame and felt tears well into his eyes when he saw the picture behind it.

He recognized the picture immediately. It was taken at the D of D when everyone was gathered. He didn't know which one, but some burning buildings flickered in the background. The main Shinpaku Alliance fighters, Matsui, Kenichi, and Miu were all gathered together in a brilliant pose. They were all freshly proud of having won all their battles, although glimmers of sadness could be seen from the loss of Kanou Shou.

Their fists were bleeding, their clothes ripped and drenched in sweat, and the buildings behind them were on fire, but the Shinpaku Alliance was still just glad to all be together and alive.

Kenichi replaced the image, set it on the desk, and left the school. He rushed to the roof; the place was empty and barren. The gardening club had disbanded when Izumi, Kenichi, and Chikage all graduated because no one wanted to succeed them.

Kenichi was saddened by all the changes, but he was glad that this place was not held back by its past.

* * *

He knocked on the door to the Ryouzanpaku dojo. This was a rare occurrence, since most people couldn't even open the gate, so Miu bounded to the door immediately to see who it was.

"Ryuto!" she beamed. Miu ushered him in, welcoming him happily, and closed the door behind him. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, nothing much," Ryuto Asamiya said smoothly. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"That's rare," Miu noted with a kind smile. "I'll bring some tea."

"Don't bother; I won't stay long," he shook his head. Pushing up his glasses, he turned away from her and inhaled, as if thinking of something to say. "How has Ken-chan been treating you?"

"Eh?" Miu was surprised by the question, and thus blushed slightly. She quickly recovered composure and answered. "Oh, well you know. Kenichi never changes!"

"You know, he's probably stronger than you now," Ryuto said, turning back to face her. "He went through hellish training to reach your grandfather's level. Are you alright with that?"

"Of course," Miu said simply. "Even if he is stronger than me, which is still debatable, it's not like I'm weak. We've both grown so much that it would be childish to try and compare our strength."

"I'm just concerned that you don't know him anymore," Ryuto said quickly but calmly. "Many years have passed, and he's been through a lot more than you."

"Since he left, I'm sure he's been through a lot," Miu went on. "But don't forget that I've been through some tough times as well. Or have you forgotten the ordeal with my father?"

"I would never think that you have no life experience," Ryuto mended diplomatically. "I know the Saiga Fuurinji incident was traumatizing, and I know that Ken-chan fought hard to save you like he always has, does, and will. But is it enough?"

"Enough for what, Ryuto?" Miu demanded curiously. "You're talking in circles. Why are you here?"

"I'm worried about you and Ken-chan," he said simply. "Things are going to change so much afterward, and I want to make sure nothing will go wrong."

"After what?" Miu asked.

"Miu? Masters? I'm home!" Kenichi's voice came from the front gate.

"Shit," Ryuto muttered. He turned to Miu. "Just make sure you know what you're doing. Please don't let him know I was here."

With that, Ryuto leaped out the window just as the Ryouzanpaku masters went out to greet Kenichi.

* * *

"Kenichi! We came up with so many more ideas!" Ma Kensei called.

"It might be wise to be quieter, Kensei, since Miu is just over there," Akisame advised.

"So here's our plan!" Kensei started to describe their ideas for Kenichi's proposal, all of which included some form of extreme embarrassment, shame, or pain.

"Thanks, masters, but I don't think that will be necessary," Kenichi waved his hands defensively. "This is something I have to do on my own."

"You can do it on your own! Just let us help you!" Sakaki snapped.

_That doesn't even make any sense_, Kenichi thought to himself. He laughed out loud, deeply appreciating the lengths these masters of his were going to help his proposal be for the best.

He looked up at the sky as Kensei and Sakaki fussed about the proposal, Apachai and Shigure nodded in agreement with everything they said, and Akisame stroked his mustache quietly as he observed. Kenichi knew where he would propose.


	24. Agamous

Chapter 24

Agamous

* * *

"もしもし," when Freya answered the phone in English, her voice sounded as though she were far away. _She is_, Siegfried thought, and mentally calculated the distance between Japan and America before recalling that Freya did, in fact, expect him to provide an answer to her greeting.

"Good day to you, my _Legato_!" Siegfried greeted her with a musical term for a pet name.

"Oh, hi, Siegfried," Freya was calm and composed as always, despite her obvious surprise at his call. "Is something wrong? Is Lisa okay?"

"My Cavatina is perfectly healthy, of course," Siegfried chose his words carefully. He wondered if Freya could tell he was hiding something through his voice. "She is very busy with her training; I can hear her melodies straining from the hard work whenever she sees me."

"Good. Hard work is always good," Freya affirmed with an audible smile. They did not exchange more words for some time as Siegfried hummed a dazzling tune. "Siegfried, is there a reason you called?"

"Yes, of course!" Siegfried started up again with sudden fervor. "I just thought that since you are always working so hard, and everyone over here has not seen you in some time, you might like to come stay with me for a while in Japan!"

"That's very thoughtful of you," Freya said with great kindness. "I would love to go. But it's very hard to get out of work these days; is there anything going on over there that I could use as an excuse?" Siegfried only had to ponder on this for a few seconds.

"Kenichi is about to propose to Miu," he recalled.

"What?" Freya gasped. "That's amazing! That's also a perfect excuse; I could say my friend is getting married, and then later on their _actual_ wedding I could say a different friend is getting married. Thank you for offering, Siegfried, but is it really alright to stay in your house?"

"It is always a pleasure to have you, Freya," Siegfried sang. "And perhaps while your there you can help me do a _glissando!_"

"What's a glissando?" Freya asked.

"Google it," Siegfried said with a deep, musical laugh. "Goodbye, Freya!"

"Goodbye, Siegfried," she said in good-humor as they each hung up.

* * *

"'How to ask her to marry you: Chapter 2'," Kenichi read out loud to himself. Niijima thought his attempts at chapter 1 were too pathetic to warrant his chaperonage of this chapter as well, so now Kenichi was flying solo.

"'After you've assessed where you are going to pop the big question'," he went on. "'You need to get two things; the engagement ring and an additional gift. The ring should suit your potential spouse's tastes; for instance, if the girl is modest you might consider not buying an enormously glamorous engagement ring'. Makes sense.

"'The additional gift is optional, but I highly recommend it. Basically, the additional gift is something that we lovers like to call "romantic". The gift should be meaningful, but the number one thing is that it must represent how much you love her and/or want her to marry you. She must understand how much it means to you to be asking this.'

"Okay," Kenichi massaged his temples. "So I have to get her a gift. But not just any gift; the ultimate l-love message. Okay."

First things first; the ring.

He'd been saving up for the ring for many months already; his book sales were carrying him a long way, but he was already preparing to write the sequel to make up for the financial depression the wedding ring purchase would put him in.

He walked out the door leisurely in the direction of the jewelry store.

* * *

"Hey, Niijima," Kenichi asked. "Did you give Izumi anything special during the proposal?"

"No, not really," Niijima thought back. "But since she was in the gardening club I gave her a rose to calm her down on our wedding night."

"That's... actually sweet of you," Kenichi blinked in surprise.

"Hah! Did you ever doubt my charms!"

"I'm not going to answer that."

* * *

_He's growing up_.

All the masters were in a particularly gloomy mood because of this.

The initial excitement of the proposal had cooled, and now they were each hit with a pang of depression and nostalgia.

"Do you remember, Akisame?" Ma Kensei sniffed. "This is the same mat that I first punched Ken-chan on. I'll remember that moment forever!"

"You might want to choose a happier memory to keep, Kensei," Akisame pointed out. "I chose to cherish the day Kenichi decided to live at Ryouzanpaku and proclaimed that he would dedicate himself to martial arts and becoming stronger."

"That's a good one, but mine is better," Sakaki's eyes were moistened, but he still managed a haughty tone. "Kenichi and I have gone on a lot of missions together where we both got to show off our strength. My disciple was so cool then."

"Apa! Kenichi taught Apachai to hold back!" Apachai sobbed. "Apachai will miss Kenichi!"

"It's not like he's going to die, Apachai," Akisame reasoned, but he bore resentment as well.

"Kenichi was Apachai's first disciple!" Apachai went on.

"He was my first disciple, too," Sakaki nodded. "And Shigure's."

Shigure said nothing. She'd been quieter than usual as of late, so no one knew the tempest of emotion in her. Kenichi was an important person for her too, almost like the son she couldn't have. As the others reminisced, she pondered on her own precious Kenichi memory: Horinji Island, when she'd taught him how to swim and witnessed the boy find the courage to jump off the cliff.

"Although he wasn't my first, he is one of my greatest successes," Kensei agreed.

"Kenichi Shirahama is an important part of Ryouzanpaku," Akisame said. "He is now just as he was when he was a disciple. We will always remember him as such."

"Heh... now you're doing it too, Akisame," Sakaki sniffed, quickly and discretely wiping away a tear. "It's not like Kenichi's gonna die."

"Nope; not dead," Kensei said grimly. "Just... _married_."

They all fell silent.

"You're right," Sakaki eventually said. "That might be worse."

* * *

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Engagement. Ring. Ring Ring._

When Kenichi walked into the jewelry store, the words were practically tattooed on his face. The sales clerks knew anxious grooms-to-be when they saw them. Kenichi Shirahama was the definition of nervous proposer.

The attending sales clerk, a woman, promptly bobbed up to him.

"Hello, Florist-kun, may I help you?" she smiled. Kenichi did a double-take before widening his eyes in shock.

"Li Raichi?!" Kenichi gasped. "What are you doing here? Do you work here?"

"Yes, I do!" she smiled kindly. "I'm still a martial artist as a hobby, but I decided that I didn't want to dedicate my life to it anymore. That became clear as I grew up."

"Yeah; I know you love martial arts, but I think assassination jobs and such took away your enjoyment of fighting," Kenichi noted. Li Raichi agreed.

"Alright," she grinned suggestively. "So you're here to get Miu's engagement ring, right?"

"H-How did you know?" Kenichi blushed.

"Are you having a Yuino? When is it?" she ignored his question and asked another one. "Have you gotten all the things ready for it?"

"I've really just begun to prepare to ask the question," Kenichi admitted. "But I thought the ring was a good place to start."

"Brilliant idea! Let me show you some of our finest models..."

* * *

It was rare for Miu to leave Ryouzanpaku alone because of how busy she was taking care of the place, but now she hummed happily as she leisurely strolled down the street. She'd seen Kenichi go in this direction earlier and hoped to catch up with him.

She found him, alright.

When she saw Kenichi, his face was bright red and flushed with an obviously enamored look. In his hand was a bag, the kind that you only get at expensive stores. In his presence was Li Raichi, who Miu knew to be a martial artist and friend of Kenichi's but also as a rival who was in love with him.

What was Kenichi doing, Miu didn't know. It made her uncomfortable that he was alone with one of the girls who liked him in the past. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel; jealous? Definitely not that. Anger? Not that, either.

She turned abruptly and walked back to the dojo calmly.

_I trust Kenichi_, Miu thought with a confident smile. _He would not have confessed to me if he loved someone else. I don't know what was going on, but I'm sure there's an explanation. To ask would be to doubt, so I won't even ask._

Miu put her mind to rest.

* * *

When Kenichi returned to Ryouzanpaku, he took the phone up to his room and made several calls.

"你好," the voice answering was in Mandarin and unfamiliar.

"I would like to speak to Takeda Ikki, please," Kenichi was used to being received by servants at the Phoenix Alliance Estate. "It's Kenichi Shirahama."

"Of course, sir. One moment, sir," the servant switched to awkward Japanese and paused for a moment.

"He-ey, Kenichi!" Takeda's exuberant voice blasted through the receiver. "It's so rare to get a call from you on the personal line! What's going on, or did you just want to hear your buddy's voice?"

"Sssh!" Kenichi shushed harshly and quietly before whispering. "This is a secret, covert call. What we speak of is a clandestine matter. Do not- I repeat- _do not_ mention this to anyone!"

"Roger," Takeda went serious.

"I'm p-proposing to Miu soon," Kenichi stuttered. Takeda almost started yelling in congratulations. "Ssssh! Listen, I'm just calling so you'll be prepared for a wedding in the future if she says yes, since it'll be hard for you and Renka to take time from work to come over-"

"No freakin' way, man," Takeda interrupted. "We're goin' over there for your engagement!"

"Huh?"

"Yeah! You're a pretty traditional guy, so you're having a Yuino, right? Yeah, I'm going to _be_ there!" Takeda's grin could be heard through the phone. "I'll ask Renka if she wants to come, too, though we'll both go over again for your wedding!"

"Wait! Miu hasn't said yes yet!" Kenichi fussed. "Also, it's just an engagement! What's the point of coming over twice?"

"To see all my friends again, of course!" Takeda laughed in his typical care-free manner. "Anyways, I'll see you in a week or so! Don't pop the question until I get there, a'ight? 'Kay, thanks, bye!" He hung up.

Kenichi shook his head in wonder. Takeda really was a mystery.

He dialed another number and waited for an answer. It took a long time since the location was half-way around the world.

"Kenichi? What's wrong?" Tsutomu Tanaka asked in panic. He was, after all, a fugitive from Japan and couldn't help feeling nervous whenever a friend called from there.

"Nothing's _wrong_," Kenichi said carefully. "But I _am_ having a serious mental breakdown."

"Oh; you're being facetious," Tanaka seemed to calm down. "What's going on?"

"Well, you know, I'm gonna propose to Miu," Kenichi said. "Put my heart in another person's hands. Nothing too serious."

"Wow; that's huge," Tanaka sounded amused. "I remember when I married my wife. Well, she was pregnant so our circumstances were a bit different. She wasn't exactly going to refuse, right?"

"Yeah, well I'm calling to tell you about that," Kenichi said.

"If I were in any other position I would go to Japan myself to congratulate you," he said. "But as you know, I am unable to leave Brazil."

"Of course; I won't expect you there if I marry, either," Kenichi said. "I just thought you might like to know about it."

"Of course, I'm always pleased to hear updates about life in Japan," he said warmly. "Again, thank you tons for getting me out of the country after that incident, Kenichi-"

"I know; it's no big deal," Kenichi waved it away. "I've got some more calls to make, so I'll talk to you later! Maybe Miu and I'll visit you afterward!"

"Sounds good, friend," Tanaka agreed, and they said their farewells before hanging up.

Kenichi _did_ make several other phone calls, but since martial artists are flighty creatures it is often difficult to get a hold of any one master. Only a handful were actually contacted.

"Kenichi! Dinner soon!" Miu called from the kitchen.

"Right! I'll be there soon!" Kenichi yelped, slamming the phone back on the receiver. He wondered if Miu heard anything from his conversations. He also wondered if telling Takeda and the others about the engagement was a burden on them, since they felt compelled to journey back to their hometown to support him. Takeda in particular had a long way to travel, and Freya too since Kenichi received word that she would be visiting Siegfried as well.

He inhaled and exhaled. There really was no turning back now.

Chapter End.


	25. Zoilism

Chapter 25

Zoilism

* * *

Kenichi felt sweat trickle over his nose. The silence was deafening, and the brooding outrage enough to drown him. He sat on his knees, his head bowed, in front of both his parents, who were in similar positions.

Mototsugu Shirahama's eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at his son. He was wondering how to put his intentions into words, since it was obviously his duty to speak first.

Saori Shirahama looked over Kenichi pensively, wondering how his life had been up till now. She wondered when he became this strong man instead of the timid boy she'd raised.

Honoka mouthed the words "I'm sorry" several times, but Kenichi wasn't paying attention to that. He was wondering how he would get his parents to forgive him and approve his choice.

"Kenichi," his father started slowly. Then he abruptly stood up and boomed. "What the hell is this?!"

"Uwah! I'm sorry! Sorry!" Kenichi ducked and clutched his head instinctively from all the thrashings from his masters. Of course, Mototsugu had no intention of beating his son, but his rage was such that the cowering seemed natural.

"First you come back to town _half a year ago _and only stop by _once!" _he raved. "_Then_ we have to find out about your engagement through your sister!" He whipped his hand around and pointed an accusing finger at Honoka.

"I meant to tell you! I meant to!" Kenichi insisted.

"Lies!" Mototsugu whipped the hand back around and pointed at his son. "We would have found out about the relationship with a wedding invitation!"

"I haven't even asked yet! I'm not engaged yet!" Kenichi reminded with a fuss.

"So? Did you ask our permission? No!" he said loudly. "And to think, I always imagined my beautiful son choosing a beautiful, kind, traditional woman! No doubt you were rushed into this engagement by some sleazy whore-!"

"Mototsugu," Saori said sharply. "Don't insult our daughter-in-law."

"You're acting like he's already married, people!" Honoka rushed to Kenichi's side to give him support. "He didn't do anything wrong, and he says he sorry anyways! Can't you forgive him already!"

"B-but marriage is a big deal!" Mototsugu's armor was already failing him. "I can't be so lenient as I have been with other things!"

"It wouldn't be leniency, dear," Kenichi's mother pointed out. "It would be acceptance. Look at his eyes and tell me you think this was a rash decision."

Mototsugu did as he was told and turned to look at his soon, really look at him, for the first time since he'd arrived. He saw the same resolve he'd seen all those years ago. Kenichi really didn't change.

"Dad," Kenichi started out slowly. "You know me. I wouldn't rush into something like this, because I understand that it's an important decision. That's why I chose to propose. I'm ready, she's ready, and I've thought it through so much that I can't even begin to doubt my decision now."

"Kenichi," Mototsugu said seriously but not angrily. "I'm not so much worried about your decision as I am about the consequences. Who is this woman? I don't know her well, so how can I draw my conclusion on what you tell me?"

"It's a lot to ask," Kenichi agreed. "I'm asking you to trust me enough to leave my future up to me; as parents, I'm sure it's killing you. So I'll tell you something to help you make up your minds; I know what I'm doing. It's a little harsh to say, but I've probably been through a lot more heartbreaking experiences that you have, father."

"Son, I've been-"

"How many of your friends have been brutally murdered, father?" Kenichi asked smoothly. "How many have been murdered by other friends of yours? How many deaths have you witnessed? I know it's unfair to ask that because we live in two different worlds now, but I know what I'm talking about, dad."

Mototsugu nodded curtly.

"Anyhow, I've known this woman since I was very young," Kenichi went on. "I remember her beauty and her grace; her kindness and all her virtues. She has faults, like everyone does, and she makes mistakes, but since I swore to protect her I'm confident that I can keep her from making the big ones. We have fought side by side, won many battles together, and even now I think no one knows me better than she."

"He's right, daddy," Honoka agreed. "I've known her for a long time too, and even though I didn't like her at first-"

"Trust your instincts," Mototsugu mumbled.

"-She turned out to be the perfect one for Kenichi," Honoka went on, glaring at her father. "I forgave her since I got big boobs, too."

"What are you talking about?" Saori raised an eyebrow.

"She's joking!" Kenichi said quickly, pinching Honoka softly. She giggled.

"Kenichi, I have something to say," his mother started with a smile. "I'm so proud of you to have matured so much, and I regret that I probably owe that to your martial arts masters. However, I can't deny that I wish you'd told us about this earlier. In any case, I'm going to trust you and, even if your father objects, I give you my blessing."

"S-Saori!" Mototsugu blinked in surprise. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. "This is harder for me than you know, Kenichi. It's not easy for me to let go of my feelings."

"Don't let go of them, dad," Kenichi said confidently. "Just because I'm in love, doesn't mean I've stopped loving you." Honoka nodded in accordance. Mototsugu sighed with a smile.

"Looks like we lose again, Sebastian," he said to the rifle he already had out. He turned to Kenichi. "I give you my blessing."

"Yes!" Kenichi and Honoka leaped up and pumped their fists in the air.

_This is really happening!_ Kenichi thought.

* * *

"Freya! Over here!" Siegfried sang loudly at the airport. All the other people present turned and stared at him as if he were crazy and scurried away. Freya walked over to him with a kind, familiar smile.

Her hair was a lot longer than Siegfried remembered; he knew she was planning to let it grow out, and she'd definitely made progress. Her attitude was the same; a small but genuine smile upon her lips. As always, she wasn't a stunner, but Siegfried had always thought her face was undeniably pretty.

His gaze stopped when he saw that, following closely behind, was a little boy.

He was very young, probably four or five years old, and looked startlingly like Freya. His hair was short and brown in the same style she'd kept it during her days in Ragnarok and the Shinpaku Alliance. His large eyes were blue, only a shade paler than Freya's, and his skin held her same tanned color.

"Hello," Siegfried said slowly. He couldn't stop staring at the child. "Who is this?"

"This is Lewis," Freya answered calmly, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. He only hid behind Freya even more, clutching her pant leg with his chubby little hands. "He's my son."

Siegfried breathed in and deflated.

"Who's child is it?" he asked the dreaded question.

"Huh?" Freya looked confused.

"It's probably someone I don't know, right? A colleague or a friend," he said to an oddly depressing tune. "Either way, I'd like to know." Freya suddenly seemed to understand and smiled again.

"Oh, he's yours," Freya said with a brief chuckle. "I didn't want to tell you because you were busy with your symphony, but you're finished now, so it's fine." Siegfried looked like he was about to faint, but he suddenly perked up and leaped fifteen feet into the air. Again, passers-by glanced at him and rushed away.

"I have a so-o-o-on!" he bellowed loudly, joyfully, to the entire airport. Freya glanced around with embarrassment, laughing a little to herself. Lewis glanced up at his father and blinked. Obviously, he was one of those who thought he was crazy.

"Siegfried, come down, please!" Freya called. He landed immediately. "There's something I have to tell you about him."

"What is it?" Siegfried asked, his face the epitome of happiness.

"This is serious," she said. "And I don't want you to treat him differently because of it."

Siegfried acquired a face of total solemnness.

"He is mute," Freya said. Lewis ducked behind his mother again, ashamed of his disability. "He can't talk. He can't laugh. And he can't sing." She stared at Siegfried, waiting his reaction. Lewis hid his face from him.

Siegfried knelt before his son. Freya stepped aside so Lewis and Siegfried could be face to face.

"Lewis," he said the name for the first time. They stared at each other, Lewis' eyes wide and afraid that his father wouldn't accept him.

Freya looked on, tensed up to see how Siegfried would react. She knew that music was everything to him, and she'd worried about this interaction since she found out about the disability.

"Don't worry, son," Siegfried said warmly but seriously. "I can still hear your melody."

Lewis felt tears welling up in his eyes and started to sob uncontrollably. Rivers of tears rushed down his cheeks and his mouth was open wide as if to wail, but nothing came out. He leaped into his father's arms, and they hugged each other with tenderness.

As Siegfried hugged the boy back, a tear trickled down his cheek too. He had a son; a son that cared what he thought and wanted his acceptance. Lewis had no way of knowing that his disability didn't matter to Siegfried; he instantly loved the boy regardless of anything.

Freya smiled. Were she a softer woman she might have cried as well, but she was characterized by her toughness and did not.

_Siegfried is a good man._ As Freya watched him embrace his son, she knew she needn't have worried.

…

Kenichi rushed out of the dojo. He needed to pick something up.

He rushed back in the dojo. He'd left the receipt at home.

He rushed out of the dojo.

Miu didn't know what to make of this. Obviously Kenichi was worried about something, and he didn't want to tell Miu about it.

Her curiosity about the subject was unfathomable. She was practically bouncing up and down in her seat with anticipation. However, Miu also felt it was her duty to respect Kenichi's privacy and leave him alone. Perhaps he would eventually tell her himself what was going on.

She sighed. Miu knew she had to trust him. She also knew she had to stay out of his way; whenever he saw her, he seemed to be overcome with anxiety and rushed away nervously.

Miu thought that her presence must be distracting him and vowed to keep away until it was all over.

…

Lisa sprinted across the parking lot and ducked under a bush.

Her heart pounded in her chest. This was the first mission she'd ever done alone, and Lisa was determined to do it right.

She attacked, and the enemy was a particularly difficult one to beat.

The battle was severe and taxing; it took her a good three straight hours of battle to finally kill them all. She really was still a disciple. It was probably Rimi's goal to make her understand that in assigning her this mission.

Rimi also forbade her from using her staff anymore. She was only allowed to use it when practicing or in an emergency, but to fight with her staff during actual battles would be an ineffective way to develop her hand to hand combat skills.

She felt just as weak as she had when she was a disciple. Heck, she still was one. She understood at once that even though she'd acquired master-class with her staff, everything else was underdeveloped. Lisa had to work hard if she expected to become a full master, and she could tell by her performance today that that wouldn't be for a long while.

"Congratulations on a victory," the President applauded her. Lisa thanked him. She was used to someone watching her by now and was not surprised that the leader of Yoakeko was the one watching today.

"I must work harder so I can become stronger," Lisa said coolly.

"I agree, but don't think poorly of yourself," the President said. "You have plenty of potential. You will grow into a powerful master one day."

"Thank you," Lisa bowed. She knew it was strange for him to praise someone, and she would cherish the approval forever.

…

"Father, I'm here," Lisa announced as she opened the door to her father's house. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Just after her mission, Siegfried called and notified her that he had a surprise.

Lisa stopped when she walked into the living room. Her mother and her father were seated at the couch, and a strange little boy was there too. They were all staring at her.

Lisa inhaled and exhaled. She then walked right past her brother directly to her parents.

"What is mother doing here?" Lisa asked without emotion.

"A 'hello' would have been appreciated," Freya noted.

"Hello," she complied. "Is there a reason you're in Japan?"

"I'm just here to see you and visit some of my old friends," she said calmly. "Also to introduce your brother to you, since you've never met him. That's him, there."

"I saw it," Lisa said. "You've seen me. Now I'm going home."

"Lisa," Freya said sharply. "Don't talk like that. We are your family, and you will give us all your respect. Lewis, too."

"Father, are you really okay with it?" Lisa turned to him, ignoring her mother.

"With what, my Cavatina?" he asked carefully.

"That," Lisa pointed to Lewis, who flinched at being addressed as a thing. "I can't think of that, a song-less child, as my family. Or even a person."

"Lisa!" Freya said dangerously.

"Perhaps you aren't listening hard enough," Siegfried answered coolly with a jingle in his voice. "Because even without a voice, his soul still sings."

"I do not agree with that, but I will respect your decision," Lisa bowed to him. She turned to her mother. "I'm sorry if I have offended you. I'll be leaving now."

"Lisa, how can you be this way?" Freya asked. "It's not Lewis' fault he can't talk. Lewis loves you even without knowing you because you are his sister, so why won't you love him?"

"Unconditional love is dumb," Lisa remarked. "Everything, even familial ties, have conditions. If it wants to love me like that, I can't bring myself to return those feelings."

"You're still a child," Freya said stormily. "You don't understand anything about this world."

"Perhaps it is the opposite, and I understand far more than you," Lisa said.

"That is by far the most ignorant thing you have ever said to me," Freya pointed out.

"I won't argue with you any more about this," Lisa turned away from her to face her father. "I'm sorry that this reunion was ruined for you. I'll see you later."

She walked towards the door without saying goodbye to either of the other parties present. Lewis' face contorted into one of complete torment, but he had prepared himself for rejection. He did not cry this time.

Freya and Siegfried glanced at each other.

"Siegfried," Freya started. "Is she...?"

"Yes," Siegfried nodded sadly. "She converted a while ago." Freya nodded.

"It was unavoidable," she sighed. "The girl showed inclination towards it ever since she was young. I thought studying under Kenichi would make her see the virtue of Katsujinken, but I knew that not even he could change who she was."


	26. Kakorrhaphiophobia

Chapter 26

Kakorrhaphiophobia

* * *

Some couples are really strange. Sometimes, when two people first get together and others find out about it, no one can imagine how those two will interact together. Kenichi and Miu were not a difficult couple to imagine; their temperaments were quite similar and they each had a gentle air around them most of the time.

One couple that _was_ trippy could be that of Haruo Niijima and Yuka Niijima, formerly Yuka Izumi.

Yuka and Haruo Niijima were about as different as two people could be; Yuka was gentle and awkward while Haruo was flamboyant, nosy, noisy, and most definitely shameless. Their love and marriage was a subtle thing that wasn't immediately apparent to anyone, not even the parties involved.

When their son died, Haruo Niijima was at his most vulnerable. If someone so much as mentioned what happened to Midori, he broke. Yuka was distraught, as well, but she was more accustomed to vulnerability. It was in dire times like those that they most needed to pay off of each others' strengths in order to persevere.

Two years had passed since the death of Midori Niijima, and now their lives fell into a rhythmic tempo in which their contrasting personalities did not conflict.

In the morning, Haruo woke up early (as was his habit)- before dawn, when it was still dark outside and before anyone else, including his wife, was awake.

After getting dressed, he quietly (in an attempt to not wake Yuka) picked up his laptop and reading glasses from the bedside table and slipped the latter into his breast pocket; he then tiptoed downstairs and made breakfast for the two of them.

To the smell of breakfast rose Yuka. She yawned and stretched, quickly rising and dressing modestly. Yuka was now a housewife and had many duties, but (although it was a rare thing in Japan) cooking was not one of them. Not because she could not but because Haruo was generally better at it.

She slipped on her glasses and quickly braided her hair again, the same way she had in her high school days. The same braids her husband once complimented with ardor.

Yuka descended the stairs and quickly made tea for Haruo (which she was monumentally better than him at). Haruo scanned the news on his laptop while they both ate in near-silence. In fact, they each basically ignore each other until the meal is almost complete.

"I fixed the garden yesterday," she interrupted the mute.

"What was even wrong with it?" Haruo asked distractedly.

"I pruned the rosemary down! It was getting out of control," Yuka pointed out indignantly. For some reason Haruo brought out the sharp side of her as opposed to her typically mild and timid mannerisms.

"Oh. That's nice," Haruo said, sipping his tea. "I'll take a look later."

"Thank you! I worked very hard on that!" she beamed to herself with pride. The rest of the meal is spent in silence. Then Haruo stood, taking his dishes with him to the sink, and closed his laptop.

"I'm going to the study to work on the article," He said. Haruo Niijima was a the best journalist for the local newspaper and tended to work at home. "Tell me when you're hungry."

"Of course," she smiled at him. Haruo hesitated before going to his study.

"I'll see you later," he said, quickly giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Yeah," Yuka said, pulling him down for a proper inter-spouse kiss. The Niijimas then went on their way.

* * *

Ryuto sighed.

He'd sighed a great many times in the past week or so, and it was fairly obvious what the reason for his distracted nature was. The potential betrothal between Miu Fuurinji and Kenichi Shirahama was a maddening concept that had his mind considerably boggled.

"Why are you worrying about _that_ anyways?" Rimi pouted. "I mean, sure you're _worried_ about their future or whatever, but isn't this going a little too far?"

"Rimi, what ever do you mean?" Ryuto asked in annoyance. He'd grown accustomed to her idiolect, but he was definitely not in the mood to deal with it right now.

"Well, it is true, Asamiya-sensei," Katsuo whiped sweat from his forehead as he trained. "You are fretting an awful lot about their betrothal. Everyone else thinks it's a fabulous idea, but you don't seem to agree."

"You even went to complain about it to Miu!" Rimi crossed her arms. She held a considerable grudge against her since the incident of her near death at Miu's hand, but she'd matured just as a considerably and now only held her in contempt because of Ryuto's suspected affection towards her.

"I wasn't complaining," he said simply, walking over to the window. "I was alerting her of my concerns. Surely I'm allowed?" Ryuto said the last bit sarcastically.

"I didn't mean anything like that," Rimi sniffed. "_I_ just don't think it's very appropriate for you to even be _have_ concerns. I mean, it's not like you like her anymore."

"I respect her now just as much as I did in the past," Ryuto reminded her. "I don't understand why you're making such a big fuss about this. Let me worry on my own, Rimi. It has nothing to do with you."

"How can you say that? This has everything to do with me!" Rimi whined.

"Don't you think that's a big egocentric?" Katsuo pointed out.

"Of course not!" Rimi scoffed. "I am perfectly within my rights!"

"You're both irritating me," Ryuto said, uncharacteristically cranky. "Rimi, I'm going to tell you to do something that doesn't sound very friendly, but I assure you, in fact, is. Leave me alone. Katsuo, you are invited to join her."

"Yes, master," Katsuo bowed quickly and speedily vacated the premises.

Rimi stomped once in childish frustration and left as gracefully as befitted the speed-oriented martial arts master.

Ryuto rubbed his temples. They couldn't understand. He wasn't unreasonably obsessed, like Katsuo thought. He also wasn't in love with Miu, as Rimi thought (nor was he in love with Kenichi, as many, _many_ people thought).

Ryuto felt responsible for them both. Ryuto, Kenichi, and Miu all shared a memorable past. No matter how minute the connection might seem to them, the experience had shaped the very way Ryuto grew up. His entire being was formed by that one detail.

Kenichi and Miu made his life. He felt like it was his duty to ensure they were making the best decisions they could.

"I'm getting old," he realized out loud to himself with a small smile. "The times have changed. I can't pretend to be an apathetic outsider this time. But Katsuo was right. It's not very much my business anyways."

_Ken-chan isn't a complete idiot_, Ryuto thought to himself. _He and Miu can make decisions on their own._

* * *

"Apachai! Shigure! I'm here!" Honoka said as she knocked on the dojo doors. She wasn't completely weak, and by now she was strong enough to just barely push the door open an inch. After all, she did go to Ryouzanpaku frequently.

"Apa! Honoka is here!" Apachai repeated, holding the door open for her to enter.

"Welcome... Honoka," Shigure greeted her from above her on the wall.

"Hi, guys!" Honoka grinned and bobbed in. She truly matched the women of Ryouzanpaku; headstrong, beautiful, and well-endowed. "Apachai, wanna play Othello? We haven't played in months!"

"Yes! Yes! Apachai is ready!" in a flash, the bronze behemoth ran to fetch his Othello board and was back before Honoka had finished blinking. She was already used to such behavior and took it in stride.

"May the... best player win," Shigure bid them well.

"You bet!" Honoka laughed deviously as she predicted her inevitable long-standing victory. "You know, Kenichi hardly _ever_ plays with me!"

"Well, you know he's a busy man, Honoka," Miu reminded her from the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah," Honoka pouted. "But I still need my big brother to play with me! Ken-chan and Nacchan are always leaving me!"

"Tanimoto is occupied as it is with Ma Kenichi," Akisame said. "That child is very lazy, so it takes all of his attention."

"What do you need people to play with ya for, anyways?" Sakaki snapped. "Don't you have a job? You know you're almost 30 years old, right?"

"I am still in my twenties, I'll have you know!" she stuck her tongue out. "And you're one to talk, Scar-face! _You_ don't work! All you do is take Apachai to the horse races!"

"At least I make money, you leech!" he roared his retort.

"Now, now," Akisame pacified them. "There's no need to argue. Honoka is still young and finding her way. Although it's true that people without a legitimate job also shouldn't criticize people like her."

"Too true! You're not getting any younger either, Sakaki!" Ma Kensei cackled. "You and Apachai and Shigure don't have jobs! It's only poor Akisame and me supporting all of Ryouzanpaku!"

"Why don't you get on Miu's case, eh? She's unemployed, too!" Sakaki snapped, pointing at her.

"Eh?" Miu blinked. She'd never thought of herself as unemployed. It was true that she never got paid for her services, but she technically did have a job, right? Was she just a burden on the dojo?

"Yeah, but Miu's gonna be a housewife soon! She doesn't need a job with Kenichi supporting her!" Honoka said loudly.

"Honoka! Sssshhh!" most of the masters stared at her with wide eyes. She'd practically given away the fact that Kenichi was going to propose to her!

"Whoops," Honoka whispered.

"It's kind of too late for that, stupid brat," Sakaki growled. The five masters turned to look at Miu to gauge her reaction to the news.

"What was that, Honoka? I'm afraid I couldn't hear you!" Miu lied. The masters relaxed. They couldn't see her face, but she was blushing furiously. What did Honoka mean by that? A housewife? At first, Miu thought it was just playful teasing. However, the masters' powerful reaction made her think that it was an actual future possibility.

_So that's why Kenichi has been running around recently_, Miu put the pieces together in her mind. Her face grew bright red when she recalled Kenichi holding a plastic bag holding something obviously expensive. Could that have been the ring?

She shook her head. Nothing was confirmed yet. Whatever it was that was going on, Miu would surely find out soon enough.

* * *

"Actually, where is Kenichi?" Akisame noted, looking up from his stone carving.

"What do you mean? Isn't he around the dojo somewhere?" Ma Kensei asked, looking up from his magazine. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him all morning either!"

"Apachai no see Kenichi either!" he bellowed.

"Me... neither," Shigure agreed.

"He got up really early in the morning," Sakaki coughed into his hand. "Didn't say where he was going. Just said he had someplace to go. Mentioned something about missing dinner. I think he looked pretty stressed out, but I can't think of what."

"He got up really early, went someplace alone, and look stressed, you say?" Ma Kensei yelped.

"What is it, Kensei? Do you know where he went?" Akisame asked mildly.

"No, not really," he muttered. "But I do think I know what he's going to do next."

"You don't mean-?"

"It's... today?" Shigure asked with interest.

"I think so," Kensei nodded. "Let us all bow our heads and pray that Ken-chan will be alright."

* * *

When Tanimoto returned to his home that evening, there was a number of things he expected to find. A messy house was one of them. An utter lack of edible food was another. For his disciple, Ma Kenichi, to be fast asleep on the couch was yet another.

There was also a number of things he wasn't expecting but also wouldn't have been surprised to find. The most notable one was Honoka Shirahama, who was still to this day obsessed with coming over to his house and doing him inconvenient favors. Another might be for Ma Kenichi to be absent from the house and off philandering with his would-be girlfriend.

One thing he absolutely could not account for, though, was the presence of his rival and friend, Kenichi Shirahama, History's Strongest Disciple.

And it was History's Strongest Disciple that he found huddled on his couch, sipping tea, looking like he was about to cry.

"Shirahama," Tanimoto said, barely containing his annoyance. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hello, Natsu," Kenichi said with a forced smile. "How's your day been going?"

"It's getting worse and worse by the minute," he answered flatly. "My question still stands: What _in the hell_ are you doing here?"

"Well, you know how you wake up one morning after a really vivid dream?" Kenichi started. "And that dream kind of revealed the answer to the universe to you, and now you know the secrets to love and happiness? But then within the next few seconds of waking up, you forget everything except one little thing, and all of a sudden you know what the rest of your day is gonna be about."

"I honestly don't know or care what your talking about," he sighed. "But if it'll get you out of my house sooner, just say whatever it is you're blathering about."

"Yes, well," Kenichi ignored his comment. "I experienced something like that this morning. It was like, whoosh! Epiphany! And all of a sudden I knew the secret to _my_ happiness. And, as you may know, I realized that all I really wanted was to be united with Miu forever. That's the best happiness I could ever imagine."

"Great. You came here to tell me that you realized something I already know," Tanimoto said sarcastically.

"That's not all, though," he went on. "You see, it wasn't just about the realization! It was about the _timing_ of the realization. Why a dream? Why in the morning?"

"Maybe because it's been on your mind for a long time?" Tanimoto mumbled.

"Maybe, but I don't think so," Kenichi shook his head. "I think it means that I have to do something about my happiness today. I think it was a sign that whatever step towards happiness I'm going to make has to start today. After all, what have I been waiting for? Everything's ready! I've been preparing for this day almost a month now."

"It almost makes you wonder why you're wasting time at my house," Tanimoto interjected.

"But then I realized what it was I was missing," Kenichi said, standing up slowly. "What I'm missing is courage. Because, you know what? I'm scared. I'm scared of being rejected, even though I trust Miu with my heart as much as I can trust her with my life. I'm scared of failing, even though I've made so many mistakes in the past that I can't expect to repeat one now. But most of all, I'm scared that even through the trust Miu has for me, even through the determination and love we have, I won't be enough. I'm afraid I won't be able to protect her."

"You're long monologue is depressing and annoying," Tanimoto snapped. Kenichi blinked in surprise. "Listen, Ken-chan. I'm going to tell you something that sounds friendly, but I'm really just saying it so you'll get the fuck out of my house. Everyone knows you're going to marry Miu one day. Everyone knows you're one of the strongest people in the world; in fact, you're just about as strong as me. She won't reject you, and you'll be able to protect her. It's a simple as that."

"Nacchan..." Kenichi looked at him with wide, tearing eyes. "I'm touched."

"Do you feel better now?" Tanimoto said slowly.

"Yes, I do, actually-"

"_Then get out of my house_," Tanimoto pointed to the door.

"Sure thing, buddy," Kenichi hopped out with a smile. "Thanks for everything."

"Shut up."


	27. Interlude:Part3:Kenichi's Time in France

Chapter 27

Interlude: Part 3: Kenichi's Times in France

* * *

_**Author's Note****: The time is near, so near it is stirring the blood in their veins. The climax and almost the end of this arc is approaching, and I thought I might break up the tension with a brief interlude. By brief I mean that it is**** longer than many of the other chapters, but a breather might be nice. **_

_**Next, on Kenichi Returning: Kenichi's Proposal.**_

_**The time is near! Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer!**_

_**Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts!**_

_**With a jubilant shout they will come one and all!**_

_**They will come when he calls!**_

_**Enjoy.**_

_**-JubJub**_

_Author's P.S- This chapter is set way before the proposal arc, during all of that annoying Lisa stuff (it is about Kenichi, though)._

* * *

"Say, Kenichi," Ma Kensei asked one day while all all the Ryouzanpaku masters relaxed. Kenichi Shirahama looked up with interest. "What did you do all that time?"

"All what time?"

"While you were away," Ma Kensei clarified. The other masters started to look over as well. It was an interesting question, after all. Ma Kenichi smiled. He always enjoyed it when Uncle Shirahama told a story.

"That's true! You never really told us about those times," Miu recalled.

"Looks like we want a story!" Sakaki laughed. Shigure climbed down from the ceiling and sat comfortably beside Akisame. "Come on, Kenichi. Tell us what you've been doin' for the last 14 years!"

"Story! Story!" Apachai chanted.

"It's really not that interesting," Kenichi Shirahama waved his hands with a nervous smile.

"Nonsense; please, Kenichi! A small anecdote to satisfy us for now," Akisame coaxed. Kenichi let out a sigh.

"Alright," he relented. "But it's a really long story. I guess I'll tell you in pieces, starting from the place you all know: Ryouzanpaku. Back when I was 19 years old, barely a master in my martial arts, and ready to go on a journey."

* * *

Kenichi had just been out of high school for a year. His parents and Honoka had been bugging him to get a job, go to college, or really just to do_ something_; all he really did at that time was train, since he was determined to become a master before he went on with his life.

It was sooner than _anyone _expected, including Kenichi himself, when he became a master. It usually took a decade or so to master a martial arts form, but he'd mastered 4 fist-styles and one weapons style in 5 years. Of course, that was only to be expected under Ryouzanpaku masters.

A decision had to made after that: what was he to do now? The occupants of the dojo all gathered to discuss it one afternoon, and the atmosphere was heavy.

"Now Kenichi can be an official Ryouzanpaku master!" Miu offered. But, of course, none of the other masters thought that was a good idea. She pulled a confused face. She couldn't understand why they were so against Kenichi officially joining the dojo as a master until it was explained.

"Ryouzanpaku is a gathering place for the strongest people in the world," Kenichi reminded her. "There's no way a two-bit master like me could be deserving of this place. The masters know what I have to do, and I think I do too. I have to travel the world and find my own way, train on my own in many countries against many styles, and become an elite-class master. Then I can come home and join them."

Miu was reluctant to agree because she felt that Kenichi belonged in Ryouzanpaku regardless of his skill level. However, she eventually accepted it because Kenichi's development was as important to her as the rest of her masters.

Kenichi and Miu spent as much time as the Elder would allow together. Kenichi and all his friends said their final goodbyes and shared many precious experiences before it was time for him to leave; eventually the montage of memories had to come to an end.

But Kenichi is a fragile creature. It took him six tries to get on the bus to the airport. He is amazingly attached to his family and friends, and he will hold onto them forever. Leaving them was the most painful thing he ever suffered, comparatively far worse than Ryouzanpaku training.

Then he was off.

His first stop was France.

Really, he lived in the U.K, but he often swam across the channel. He was studying at a university near London for four years and trained in France.

It seemed a strange idea: studying martial arts in France. However, it was more of an art style than a martial art.

He was first introduced to the style on his second visit. Kenichi was simply wandering around; this alone was enough to draw attention. It is not typical to see a Japanese man wandering aimlessly.

"_Sortez-vous de la rue!_" a girl's harsh cry cut through the crowd, carving her path as she ran like a madwoman in an attempt to escape some danger behind her. "_Oy! Oy! Homme __chinois__! Sortez-"_

"Uwah!" Kenichi exclaimed as he noticed the voice's owner running towards him at top speed, a companion right beside her. They appeared to have no intention of stopping, and at present they were on a collision course!

Kenichi leaped high into the air to avoid the male companion beside the girl. This was a mistake.

The girl, using perfectly measured momentum and agility, turned her speed onto the wall and seemed to be running on it, around Kenichi and out of danger of collision. In the split second he had to observe it, Kenichi recalled Rimi's wall-running technique and mentally compared the two. This seemed much more talent-based, much more natural.

However, he didn't have time to admire the technique. Just as Kenichi jumped to get out of their way, the male companion lunged to leap at the same time. They happened to jump the same height, and they crashed anyways.

"_Enzo_!" the girl skidded to a halt and turned around. "_Qu'est-ce qui passe?_"

"_Merde! Cette homme asiatique, il est stupide! Merde, merde..." _the guy who'd crashed into Kenichi cursed to himself, muttering in French.

"_Nous n'avons pas le temps!_" the girl seemed to be scolding him and rushing him along.

"_Je suis desolee!_" Kenichi tried to remember how to apologize. His best foreign language was English, and he knew little French. "_Je te veux aider!_"

"You speak English, yes?" the girl demanded in her French accent as she knelt by her friend. Her voice sounded rushed and strained. "Do not worry about it."

"Y-Yes," Kenichi fell into comfortable English. "Is there any way I can help you two?"

"There is just one thing," she said urgently. "You help us escape! We are chased."

"Chased? By who?" Kenichi asked, switching from apologetic to cautious. If there was one thing he was good at, that was protecting people.

"The police," she said. She added quickly when Kenichi looked at them skeptically, "But is not our fault! _Tu ne comprends pas!_"

"Right," Kenichi nodded. "Go on running; I'll catch up with you later!"

"I doubt you'll be able to," the boy struggled to his feet. Their impact had left him stunned, but he managed to clamor up. "Don't expect us to thank you. You owe me after knocking me to the ground like that."

"Right; I'm just paying you back," Kenichi said, shooing them away. "Now get out of here!"

The boy seemed surprised that Kenichi didn't take the bait, but he ran away with the girl as quickly as if they hadn't been stopped in their tracks at all. Kenichi sat calmly on the ground and pretended to be stunned.

_"_Are you okay, monsieur?" one asked Kenichi.

"I was knocked over by two people; a boy and a girl," Kenichi said with a sniffle. He stood calmly.

"Do not worry, monsieur. We will catch them!" they assured him. "Which way they went?"

"I didn't see clearly, but I-I think they went that way," Kenichi pointed feebly in the opposite direction they'd run. "Hurry! I think they filched my wallet while I was down!"

_"____Dépêchez!" _the man barked at his uniformed companions. "Do not worry! We will catch them!"

I don't think you will, Kenichi said. He was quite proud of himself. He couldn't boast himself as the best actor in town (especially with Tanimoto around), but Kenichi had impressed himself with this latest trick.

He ran in the direction the two had gone in, but they'd traveled farther than he reckoned. He couldn't even sense their ki since they were not martial artists and hadn't built it to traceable levels.

"I'm impressed," a voice came from the top of a nearby wall. Kenichi spun around and caught sight of the boy who'd crashed into him earlier. "Not many would be able to catch up like that, especially non-___traceurs__."_

_"_We thank you for helping us," the girl came up from behind him. "They accused us of stealing things which we did not steal. My friend is right, though. It is impressive that you found us. Who are you?"

Now Kenichi really looked at them. The girl was small, slender; earlier, she'd only had her hair tied back in a long ponytail. Now her dark hair was completely tucked into a black hat. Her face, no older than 16, was pixie-like, curious, but one could tell by her look that she was not weak.

The boy's most notable feature was the seemingly permanent scowl pasted on his face. He looked otherwise completely unremarkable; roughly Kenichi's age, his hair was blond and stuck out of his head in short, straight wisps. His eyes were penetrating, abrasive, but Kenichi placed it as hurt pride rather than a hateful heart.

"My name is Kenichi Shirahama," he bowed in greeting. They stared at him oddly. "I come from Japan, and I'm a disciple- I mean, I'm a master of martial arts."

"I think we will call you Ken," the girl purred with amusement. "My name is Chloé. My friend is called Enzo."

"Pleased to meet you," Kenichi smiled. After this initial meeting, the three spent much of their time together.

Soon, Kenichi started visiting France more frequently to spend time with his new friends; Chloé was always a remarkably friendly person eventually, and Enzo seemed to dislike Kenichi very much. On one of his visits, Kenichi asked them about their amazing agility.

"Oh, that?" Chloé laughed. "We are___traceurs__."_ Kenichi asked what that was.

"That is someone who practices parkour," Enzo said sharply. Kenichi blinked. "Don't tell me you stupid Japanese don't know what parkour is!"

"Enzo! How rude!" Chloé punched his arm. She turned to Kenichi. "Parkour is a way of getting around that involves, how do you say... using the walls and things to go places."

"Basically, you take advantage of your environment to maneuver through city-scapes and stuff," Enzo said much more eloquently.

"It looks so amazing! Almost like art!" Kenichi enthused.

"It is also fun," Chloé smiled softly._ "____Je suis une ____traceuse ____plus grave__. _The key to parkour is the philosophy; understanding the freedom and joy behind the running. It is very pleasing."

"Is it tiring?" Kenichi wondered.

"It may look like it doesn't use much energy, but people practice all their lives to master it," Enzo snapped.

"I've only ever known martial arts that are ways to fight and protect," Kenichi thought out loud. "But this parkour thing sounds more like a fun thing. Do you think... do you guys think you could teach me?"

"Eh?" Chloé blinked in surprise. "Teach you? No one has ever asked that before."

It didn't take much coaxing and pleading for Kenichi to persuade the two to teach him the basics of parkour.

Kenichi was now a strength-oriented fighter, and he was definitely no longer in the habit of running away. Parkour proved challenging to the young master.

Many parts of it, Kenichi did not find difficult; after sparring with Apachai, physical exertion is nothing. The hardest part of his parkour training was definitely control.

When a traceur is running, Kenichi found, they have to monitor their speed. As they run, they pick up momentum. If they don't use that momentum exactly right, jumping over a wall could end quite tragically.

Most of what Chloé taught him was the utmost basics; after all, many tricks and techniques of parkour are developed out of experience. His training consisted of crossing the whole city without walking on the street for more than six seconds in a completely straight line, right through traffic and across streets.

Almost a year later, Kenichi had advanced quite well in his parkour training. Of course, he'd made sure that the form did not detract from his mastery of his martial arts, and he was nowhere near mastering parkour completely, but he was definitely a traceur.

On one of his visits, however, disaster struck.

"Ken! It is horrible!" Chloé rushed up to him one day. Strangely, her friend was not behind her. "Enzo has been taken kidnapped!"

"What? That's terrible!" Kenichi gasped, suddenly growing serious. "What happened? Why did they kidnap him?"

"W-well," Chloé looked slightly embarrassed. "Enzo owed money to a... drug lord." Kenichi was taken aback for a moment. Enzo didn't seem the type to engage in recreational drugs.

"So they kidnapped him?" Kenichi said slowly, brushing away any judgment. He'd known Enzo for a year and knew for a fact that regardless of his drug habits, Enzo was a good man.

"Yes," Chloé nodded. "He is the heir to a very rich and powerful family, so they hope to gather the ransom."

"H-he was rich all along?" Kenichi blinked in further surprise. Looks could be deceiving.

Chloé nodded again. "Ken, please! You must help!"

"Of course," Kenichi smiled. "Was there ever any question?"

* * *

When Kenichi stormed into the syndicate's lair, he was a like a typhoon of martial arts.

Chloé, who watched on, could only let her jaw drop in amazement.

Bad guys flew left and right. Attackers were immediately rendered unconscious. Many of the remaining subordinates ran away: it was just too insane.

Kenichi destroyed them all with three fingers.

* * *

Kenichi found Enzo passed out and beaten. It was a sad sight to see; Enzo, free and proud as a bird, was locked down with chains and handcuffs in a dank, windowless room.

Kenichi lifted him gingerly and rushed him to a hospital. He told Chloé where he'd taken him and made sure to not be there when Enzo woke; that would only further injure the man's pride.

"Thank you, Ken," Chloé said quietly as he walked out.

* * *

Kenichi spent four years between England and France.

Almost all of his time was filled with work, whether it be school work or martial arts training and parkour practice. Enzo healed quickly, already back on his feet and running through the streets after 2 weeks.

Chloé and Enzo were his closest friends throughout the time he spent there, and they shared many stories about each of their lives. By the time their time together ended, Enzo and Chloé could've written a book about Miu Fuurinji from all the things Kenichi told them about her.

By the time Kenichi graduated from his university, he was 23 years old.

"If you left home to train for martial arts," Enzo pointed out during the celebrations after his graduation. "Haven't you been wasting time? I mean, you went to school and all, but you didn't really train." Ken looked up in surprise, and then he looked back down in thought.

"Well, he did not get any less strong," Chloé pointed out.

"No; I think Enzo's right," Kenichi shook his head. "I did leave home to train. I think I've spent too much time here. It's been about four years, and I haven't really gotten stronger. If I keep going at things like this, it'll take me decades to reach the level I want."

"What is this goal of yours?" Chloé asked with curiosity.

"I want to protect the ones I love," Kenichi said with determination. "But in order to do that, I have to be the strongest man in the world."

"What? Why?" Enzo demanded. He sounded annoyed, but Kenichi could tell that he was interested in what he had to say.

"Well, think about it," Kenichi said. "What if the strongest person in the world threatens the life of someone I love? Then I'll have to be able to win against that person. But if I win against that person, then I'll be the strongest man in the world."

"To protect everyone, you have to be stronger than everyone," Chloé said in awe. She shook her head. "That sounds like a lot of trouble. You would go so far?"

"Yes," Kenichi said. "I need to be the very best, like no one ever was. To to keep my family and friends together, that's what it'll take." Enzo sighed and stood up, pulling out his wallet from his back pocket.

"If you really want to train hard," he mumbled to himself, pulling out a business card. "Go to Brazil."

"What?" Kenichi blinked and took the card from Enzo's hand. "Why Brazil?"

"That card has the phone number and address of a friend of mine," Enzo explained. "My family sponsors his school, so you know it's very good. He teaches Capoeira, a martial art indigenous to Brazil. You may find challenge in a friendly duel."

"Thank you," Kenichi said with wide eyes. Suddenly the business card looked like a ticket to his future.

"I'll call ahead and tell him your going," Enzo said flippantly. "He'll probably let you stay in a room above the school."

"You would do that for me?" Kenichi was startled. Enzo had never attempted civility before. "Thank you so much, Enzo! I don't know how I can repay you!"

Now it was Enzo's turn to look confused. Then he smiled slightly, a rare sight indeed.

"_Asiatique stupide_," he said, his voice still harsh and unforgiving despite his good-natured expression. "Don't insult me. My debt to you is now repaid."

Kenichi suddenly remembered that he'd saved Enzo's life years before. It hadn't occurred to him that Enzo would hold onto that for so long, and he felt like he was in Kenichi's debt all this time.

"Thanks, Enzo," Kenichi said, standing up. "I'm leaving now. Goodbye, Chloé. Goodbye, Enzo. It's been nice knowing you, but I'm going to Brazil now."

"Right now?" Chloé looked bewildered. "So soon?"

"Of course," Kenichi laughed. "Martial artists are famous for their sudden goodbyes."

With that, Kenichi ran in the direction of the pier to catch a boat to Brazil with only his passport in hand.

…

"And that was my time in France and England," Kenichi said. He yawned and stretched his arm. "Telling my past is really exhausting. I think I'm gonna go for a jog, then I'll turn in for the day. Good night, everyone."

The other occupants of Ryouzanpaku stared after Kenichi, as if he'd cut off a story right in the middle. On the contrary: that story had scarcely begun.


	28. Kenichi's Proposal

Chapter 28

Kenichi's Proposal

* * *

Kenichi was in his room in Ryouzanpaku. He took a deep breath; he could feel Miu's ki on the roof. This was the most fortunate turn of events possible. It was his plan from the beginning. He could recall Miu speaking to him now: "All of our important conversations happen here." It was true. Every important conversation they'd shared happened atop Ryouzanpaku.

That was where he would ask her to become his wife.

* * *

"Apachai will get it!" Apachai crowed, bounding towards the gargantuan Ryouzanpaku doors only to find that they were already wide open, held ajar by an empty-handed, strangely familiar Chinese woman. Beside her was another familiar guest, a man with blue hair who was loaded like a mule with what seemed like months worth of luggage.

"What are you two doing here?" Akisame asked mildly. "It couldn't be that you're here for them already."

"I'd rather be early than late," Renka Ma said. She had changed very much since they'd last seen her; the master looked worn out, tired, aged, and genuinely devoid of any childish joy. Her gaze was steel and her words were sharp; the most accurate analogy would be that the playful, biting kitten she once was matured into a solemn, scarred cat. "Hello, masters of Ryouzanpaku."

"It's nice to see you, Renka," Ma Kensei lied.

"Good to see you're still alive, father," Renka said by way of greeting.

"Good to see you're still alive, too, Takeda," Akisame addressed the man beside her. "You survived both Shiba's training _and_ a marriage with the infamous Phoenix Alliance queen. You are to be commended."

"Thank you, Akisame-dono," Takeda smiled. "But I'm not through the marriage yet." Renka and Takeda exchanged a glare.

"Come... in," Shigure invited.

"Young Kenichi isn't here yet," Ma Kensei explained to Takeda. "He's wrapping up his training with Tanimoto for the day, but we called them and had him send the boy over right after they're done."

"I'm glad to hear that he's training for once," Renka sniffed. "In China, all he wanted to do was play with his friends and eat Japanese ramen."

"Hell, that's all he does here," Sakaki mumbled. The party retreated into Ryouzanpaku. Kenichi was still stewing in his room. Not long after, the Niijimas arrived, followed by Siegfried's party (including himself, Freya, and Lewis).

Lisa and Ma Kenichi came not long after. Everyone was there; all they could do now was wait and see the outcome of Kenichi Shirahama's bravery.

* * *

"Hey, Miu," Kenichi said as he climbed out onto the roof and sat himself comfortably beside her. She smiled at him.

"Hi, Kenichi," she greeted. "It's so nice out tonight, isn't it?"

"It really is," Kenichi agreed. "It's absolutely perfect. It's the kind of night that we'll remember forever." She nodded.

"We've come so far, haven't we?" Miu said quietly with a smile. "We've both become masters. We are some of the most powerful people in the world. Our dreams are all coming true."

"They are," Kenichi said, regarding Miu with an enamored look. "Everything's changed since the times of training. From the days when we were students. We've grown, gotten stronger, become bigger people. The two of us have gone through hell and back, some of the way together and some of it on our own. But some things are the same, don't you think? Inside, we're still the same best friends, talking about life on top of Ryouzanpaku." Miu nodded for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"You really are a novelist, Kenichi," Miu giggled. "You sounded so poetic just then. I love that even though we're adults now, we can still sit here and just relax."

"Relax," Kenichi repeated to himself, trying to do just that. In that moment, he realized that he was no longer nervous. He was no longer concerned about what he was doing or the outcome of his actions. Right now, all that he was doing was having a conversation with Miu, the girl of his dreams. Even if he were to ask the question right now, it would just be an extension of their talk.

"You're still the same," Miu interrupted his thoughts. Kenichi blinked. "I'm so glad you aren't different from all that time ago. When you first returned, I was worried that you'd turned into some power-hungry man. I know it sounds silly, but I was really worried! But your still the Kenichi I know, stumbling over your words like a teenager."

"I assume you know what I wanted to take to you about," Kenichi said softly. Miu nodded. "Then allow me to stop stumbling over words. Miu Fuurinji: Life is full of twists and turns; it's practically like a labyrinth. I wouldn't want to be lost there with anyone but you. In the words of Charlotte Bronte, I ask you to pass through life at my side- to be my second self, and best earthly companion. Miu Fuurinji: Will you marry me?" She smiled and closed her eyes.

"I would be honored to be your bride," Miu said, leaning her head against Kenichi's shoulder. He nodded and hesitated before nervously kissing her hair.

"On the contrary," he whispered. "The honor is all mine."

* * *

"Apa! Here they come!" Apachai called. The others scrambled and quickly hushed down to silence. Kenichi and Miu came down the stairs, fully aware that the guests were waiting for them. Their faces were pink and their hands were entwined.

The audience stared at the pair, prompting for the response.

Miu and Kenichi both nodded with small, bashful smiles.

The crowd erupted into cheers without reserve, bottles of sake immediately coming out for the sake of celebration. Lisa was the first to bow to Kenichi respectfully in congratulations, not really caring one way or the other but sure that he would expect her to felicitate him.

Niijima and Yuka also went up to the couple and congratulated them. They seemed strangely inseparable for some reason; even when they walked, their arms were linked like the married couple they were, although behaving as such was not typical of Niiijima and the woman formerly known as Izumi.

Sakaki shoved the crowd aside and pumped Kenichi's hand up and down in an emotionally manly congratulations. Kensei laughed and sobbed with happiness not far off. Apachai ran in circles around Miu and Kenichi, his arms in the air as if he'd just won a race.

"Your grandfather would approve," Akisame said kindly to Miu, stroking his mustache. "I'm very proud of you both."

"Sensei..." Kenichi felt tears coming on and jumped at his master with intent to hug. Kenichi moved so quickly that he was able to catch the man for a short second, but Akisame speedily maneuvered out of his disciple's grasp.

Shigure smiled softly. She stared at Miu, who had been one of her best friends for many years. She thought of both Miu and Kenichi like children of her own if not much younger siblings and cared deeply for them both. It seemed like fate that the two of them would end up spending their lives together.

Suddenly, everything fell silent and the crowd around the couple parted, revealing two other guests.

"Hello, Kenichi," Takeda Ikki said nodding in greeting to him with a smile. He turned to Miu and haltingly nodded to her as well. "Hello, Miu."

"Miu. Kenichi," Renka Ma said curtly, hardly even looking at Miu when she said her hellos.

"It's been a long time, huh?" Kenichi said by way of greeting. The air between them was tense; Miu and Kenichi didn't know how the two would react to their engagement, and although Takeda seemed pretty alright with it one could never tell with him.

Instead of staying serious, however, Takeda's face pulled into a great, wide grin.

"Yep! I can't believe it's been so long!" he walked up to Kenichi in few great strides and enveloped both Miu and Kenichi in a powerful hug. He was glad to be able to hug someone without having to hold back his strength. "I've missed my friends so much!"

Kenichi and Miu blinked, then smiled as well when they recognized Takeda's usual uplifting character.

"We've missed you, too," Miu agreed, hugging him back.

"Well, you don't need to strangle them," Renka coughed into her hand. She'd grown even tougher and cold-hearted since her return to China. "Let them go, Takeda. Why do you feel the need to hug someone every time you see them again?"

"My dear Renka, you don't understand!" Takeda said dramatically. "I haven't seen my friends in so many years, we all look like old men now! Just look at us all! Time has eroded our pretty faces! Although, I have to say, maturity suites you, Kenichi."

"You don't look half bad yourself, Takeda," Kenichi laughed. "Although it hasn't been many years. I saw you just one year ago at that world conference."

"But a whole year! It's enough to break my heart," Takeda went on theatrically. Suddenly his face grew serious as he spied one of the other guests. He pointed directly into the crowd. "Wait. Is that my son? Is that my Japanese-Chinese hybrid boy?"

"That's me!" Ma Kenichi leaped up and down with excitement from seeing his father. "I'm right here, Papa!"

Takeda immediately rushed over, leaving a trail of dust and several afterimages, and swooped Ma Kenichi up in a hug with the passion and love that could only come from a father.

"Papa!" Ma Kenichi sobbed, tears suddenly pouring down the sides of his face. He cried loudly and childishly, but no one blamed him. Ma Kenichi hadn't seen his father in nearly five years when he was just 9 years old, and he left home to train with Tanimoto two years prior when he was 7. In short, he was practically a baby when he was parted from his loving father.

"Ken," Takeda whispered softly as he held his son tightly. "Ken." It was all he could do to keep composed. His son's absence had taken its toll on Takeda as well. He was a doting father who wanted nothing more than to have his son's childhood back again, and if he was a decade or so younger he might've started crying as well.

"Oh, I forgot! He's only an heir to you!" Takeda glared at her with disgust. "Well, maybe you don't _know_ anything about this, but _some_ fathers actually love their child!"

"Maybe if you weren't always spoiling the boy, he wouldn't be so wimpy!" Renka snapped. "Look at him! When _I_ was his age, I was already trained enough to start looking for my father! This boy looks like he could barely go six steps before tripping on himself!"

"Maybe he would have learned to go six steps himself if you hadn't thrown him into the real world when he was just a baby!" Takeda reminded her.

"He was 5 years old! That is not a baby!"

"You sent a five year old to travel the world with a known killer!"

"Renka, we're kind of in the middle of something," Ma Kensei gestured to Miu and Kenichi. "Why don't you solve your family issues somewhere else?"

"Family?" Renka blinked in surprise.

"Issues?" Takeda and Ma Kenichi blinked in surprise.

"Thanks to all of you for coming to see us," Miu bowed graciously to the guests to change the subject. "You don't know how much it means to us!"

"Yes," Kenichi agreed, bowing as well. "Especially Freya, Takeda, and Renka who came from out of the country!" Everyone roared their agreement with cheer.

"Hey!" Niijima stood up on a table. "I've been meaning to tell everyone for a while now, and I guess this is as good a time as any!"

"Haruo..." Yuka tugged at his arm with a giggle for her husband to get down.

"Yuka and I are expecting another baby!" he announced proudly as he stood akimbo. "I'm going to be a father again!"

Many people erupted in congratulations, and when it came time for Kenichi and Niijima to congratulate each other, they both remained silent.

"It's a clever idea," Kenichi started. "You know; propagating your alien species."

"What can I say? I guess that makes it sexy for her," Niijima shrugged mischievously as Kenichi recoiled at the image. "Although since you're a world-renowned martial artist and super strong, Miu probably won't suffer from lack of power, if you know what I mean-"

"_Anyways_," Kenichi interrupted. "To be honest, I'm happy for you, man. I know this means a lot to you." Niijima didn't respond for a moment.

"Let's hope both your marriage and my fatherhood work out for the best," he released a breath.

"Lalala! I have a new melody to present to all of you!" Siegfried said, leaping up on the same table. Everyone turned in mild interest. After Niijima and Kenichi's news, they could hardly expect something more exciting. "Freya and I have discussed this thoroughly, and we have decided to marry as well! Kaname Kugatachi and I, Hibiki Kugenin, have decided to wed!"

"What?" Lisa turned sharply. Lewis gaped as well, his little mute mouth forming an "O" of shock.

"Amazing! So much good news today!" Takeda laughed loudly. "I'll have you all know that we are going to party till Wednesday!"

"But it's Sunday!" Renka objected.

"Precisely," he smiled charismatically.

* * *

_Judging from all their yelling_, Tanimoto thought from the treetops. _I'd guess Miu said yes._

All was well. He'd come to see the result, since the curiosity finally got the best of him. He also arrived late, so he thought it would be inappropriate to barge in at that time.

_Are you okay with this, Kanou Shou?_ He asked the heavens. _Your other wing is about to join with a different bird. What would you have done if you survived?_

He shrugged. It didn't really matter anyways. Kanou Shou was dead, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. There wasn't much use of asking "would have" or "should have" questions because the fact of the matter is, he didn't and he couldn't.

Tanimoto turned to leave, but hesitated. He decided he should probably stick around. He was just propping up his legs to relax when he heard a voice behind him:

"Why aren't you... inside?" Shigure said eerily.

"Wh-what?" Tanimoto jumped an inch into the air. "What are you doing here? Go back to the celebrations!"

"I'll...take you with me," Shigure said, taking out her chain-sickle so she might drag him back by force. Tanimoto backed up, fully aware that Shigure was completely capable of forcing him back there.

"Why do you want me to go, anyways? What's it matter to you?" he snapped.

"Kenichi and Miu are sad," she said. "They are...happy to be together, and they're happy... to have their friends with them. But... you aren't there, and they... miss you. They shouldn't be sad... on such a good day. So... I'll make you go."

Tanimoto didn't respond at first. He looked up, then down, then straight into Shigure's flat, dark eyes.

"What the hell; if I don't go now, Shirahama will just barge into my house again," he growled. "I might as well get it over with."

"That's... the spirit," Shigure gave a little smile.

* * *

"Look at us! All of my best friends, right here in the same place!" Kenichi exclaimed when Tanimoto showed up.

"Who's your best friend? I'm just here-"

"Don't be coy, Nacchan!" Takeda patted him on the shoulder amiably. "We know you love us!"

"You don't know anything, moron boxer," Tanimoto reminded him. "That's why you had to repeat a grade in high school."

"Well, that's true," Takeda seemed to be thinking on this.

"Don't be a killjoy, Hermit," Niijima cackled. "Just pipe down and tell Kenichi _exactly_ why you're here."

"Same reason everyone else is here; free food," Tanimoto said, suppressing the embarrassed blush that nearly rose to his cheeks.

Kenichi smiled; he could see through his friend in an instant.

* * *

"Lisa said that Kenichi Shirahama was going to propose today," Rimi said carefully. Katsuo turned sharply and stared at his master. Ryuto looked up from his book with interest.

"Is that so?" he asked mildly. Katsuo and Rimi exchanged a glance. He looked out the window. "It's getting dark. If he really was planning on doing it today, he has probably already done it. In fact, he'll probably call me any minute-"

_RI-I-I-ING_

"Hello?" Ryuto answered the phone calmly. He nodded several times. "I'm glad to hear that. I'll bring you a congratulations gift tomorrow... No, really, I insist... Tell Miu congratulations for me, too... yeah, bye." He placed the phone on the receiver and went back to his book.

Katsuo and Rimi waited for him to tell them about the phone call, but he did not.

"If you're expecting me to make a big deal about this, I'm not going to," Ryuto finally said. "It was childish of my to worry that much. They'll be very happy together. Kenichi is a good writer and will be able to support the two of them, although I think they'll still live in Ryouzanpaku. They won't argue often enough for it to be a problem. They're strong enough to protect each other from any dangers. Now let me be; I'm reading Kenichi's book."

"What's it about?" Katsuo asked. Rimi glared at him for changing the subject.

"It's an adventure, fiction story," Ryuto explained. "But few others know that it's actually an autobiography. It's Kenichi's story, complete with the Ragnarok names and everything. Now hush up, because it's almost my turn to appear."


	29. Circumlocutions

Chapter 29

Circumlocution

* * *

"Sounds interesting," Tanimoto Natsu noted out loud to himself as he read over the brochure he'd just received in the mail.

"What sounds interesting?" Ma Kenichi asked as he stretched before his lesson was to start.

"None of your business," Tanimoto snapped out of habit. Then he realized that it really _was_ the boy's business and spoke. "It's just Rachel. She's organizing a tournament among disciples, like the D of D. As always, she's gotta be dramatic and calls it the 'Disciple's World Cup Spectacle'. Kind of silly, I think."

"Who's Rachel?"

"That's the part you chose to focus on?" Tanimoto growled irritably. "Listen, since I'm a famous martial artist and I have a disciple, I've been personally invited to enter you in the tournament. I think I'm gonna do it."

"What? I'm gonna be in a tournament!" Ma Kenichi sprang to his feet with excitement. "Yes! Finally, I can show the world how strong I've gotten!"

"Don't get so excited just yet, brat," Tanimoto said flatly. "It's not just jelly-spined Katsujinken kids like you entering. The Killing Fist is included."

"You mean-"

"You could very easily die in this tournament," Tanimoto nodded to himself. "Your life will be on the line during many of the battles."

"Satsujinken..." Ma Kenichi whispered to himself. _Lisa? Are you gonna go?_

"Whatever," Tanimoto shrugged, putting the slip of paper in a drawer. "I'll decide about that after your lesson. This tournament is a pretty big deal, I understand, so Rachel sent the information about 6 months in advance."

"It's in half a year?" Ma Kenichi asked in surprise. "Why so long?"

"Well, there's a lot of organization and stuff that has to go on," Tanimoto explained. "Also, some of the lamer Katsujinken masters have to decide if they want to risk their disciple's life like that. It can take a while. Ah, that reminds me!"

The Kenpo master leaned over and plucked up his cell phone from the side table and punched in a few numbers.

"Who are you calling?" Ma Kenichi inquired.

"Get back to your stretches, lazy brat," Tanimoto growled. Seconds later, a voice sounded on the other side.

"Yes?" Ryuto Asamiya answered the phone.

"Hey, Odin," Tanimoto greeted him. "It's Hermit."

"Ah, Tanimoto. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You been invited to Rachel's thing?"

"The Disciple's World Cup Spectacle? Yes, I just got the letter a few days ago. I'm entering Katsuo in the tournament. Is the Ma heir entered?"

"Yeah, I think he will be," Tanimoto answered. "Listen, the last time Ma Kenichi fought your kid he lost. He wants a rematch."

"What? No I don't-!" Ma Kenichi tried to interrupt.

"Oh? I'm pretty sure Katsuo would be up for a match."

"Let's let them battle it out at the World Cup," Tanimoto grinned. "I bet you my disciple lasts longer."

"How unlike you to gamble, Hermit," Ryuto responded coolly. "Perhaps a defeat will persuade you not to try it again."

"What are the stakes?"

"If you lose, you have to come to Kenichi's wedding like a normal person," Ryuto said after a moment's thought. "That means you have to dress like a normal person, bring a present, and get a date like any wedding attendee would."

_Oh, yeah_, Tanimoto recalled. _This World Cup thing is about a week before the wedding._

"Fine, but if _you_ lose you _can't_ go to Kenichi's wedding," Tanimoto snarled. "You have to stay home like a hermit."

"How ironic, isn't it, Hermit?" Ryuto said, his voice sounding amused through the phone. "Fine. Whichever of our disciples lasts the longest will determine which of us gets to attend Kenichi's wedding or not."

_I better not tell Kenichi about this_, Tanimoto thought to himself. _He'll do everything he can to make Katsuo win_.

"Sounds interesting," Tanimoto said again. Ma Kenichi looked sick to his stomach.

* * *

Eri, Tommii, and Haru sat together in lounge chairs- all three of their masters were busy today and they finally got a day off. Haru chatted loudly and happily. Tommii listened mildly and silently. Eri took a long breath and released it.

"You know," she said, pushing the strands of thick brown hair out of her face. "The Disciple's World Cup Spectacle is going to be the biggest martial arts event of the generation."

Tommii looked up with interest, nodding in agreement.

"I want to fight Lisa again," Eri said to no one in particular. "When Katsuo and I fought her last, we lost. But I've gotten a lot stronger since then. I'm sure I'll win the next time we crash heads."

"Especially since Atlantae isn't letting her use her staff techniques," Haru reminded her. "Without that, she's just another regular disciple." Tommii nodded again.

"I've asked my master to give me special intense training for the occasion," Eri went on. She turned to Haru and Tommii. "Are you guys doing anything for the tournament?"

"_I_ can't go!" Haru pouted.

"Why?"

"My master said that I won't be strong enough to get in the top 10%, so I'm going to Russia next month for training!" she explained and complained.

"Ivanov is as strict as ever, eh?" Eri chuckled. "You know he's only doing it for your own good. What about you, Tommii? Are you in the tournament?"

He nodded.

"That's great! I hope you guys beat up a lot of people! You know..." Haru babbled on.

Tommii had already tuned out of the conversation. He wanted to fight Lisa again also, but he feared he might not win. However, that was not his main aim.

Regardless of how abruptly their friendship ended, he still cared deeply for Tsubasa. He'd been in love with her for a long while, and still had lingering feelings. Now she was in the hands and care of a new martial artist; one named Ma Kenichi.

Tommii heard that Katsuo had beaten Ma Kenichi. While that was to be expected, since Katsuo was the fourth strongest person in the school (behind the President, Eri Kuroki, and Lisa Kugenin), Tommii was worried.

Martial artists lead harsh lives. Regardless of how little fame you have acquired, every martial artist gets challenged in their lives. Every martial artist faces life threatening situations, gets their fears shoved in their faces, and danger follows them wherever they go.

What if Ma Kenichi was too weak to deal with those dangers? And if he was, what would become of Tsubasa, who insisted on being by the boy's side?

Tommii was worried.

In order to gauge Ma Kenichi's strength, Tommii's one desire was to fight him at the Disciple's World Cup Spectacle.

* * *

"What exactly do you think the issue is here?" Ma Renka demanded of her husband in their hotel room. "Why do you think I'm mad right now?"

"Hmmm, I don't know," Takeda said calmly. "Maybe because you're _always_ mad nowadays. Think I'm on the right track here?" He braced himself for a long argument.

"How dare you," Renka squinted at him. "I am _not_ always mad! I am always stressed. And you want to know why? It's because I have to deal with everything myself! _I_ run the Phoenix Alliance, _I_ trained our son when he was in China, _I_ always do everything! As opposed to you, who does what? Sits around on his butt all day and rides on my coat tails!"

"God, don't go there, Renka," Takeda stood up to argue with her properly. "I am an Elite Master, and I am still one of Kenichi's greatest rivals. Riding on your coat tails? I have my own name, you know! I'm not just 'Renka's husband'! Plus, you made it perfectly clear when we married that I was to have nothing to do with the Phoenix Alliance. _And_ I offered to train Ken, but you wouldn't let me!"

"You wanted to teach him boxing!" Renka reminded him with crossed arms.

"_I am a boxer. What else would I teach?_" Takeda said slowly. "It's not fair that you decided everything to do with his childhood. I'm his father, so I should have some say as well!"

"Oh, like you would have done it any different!" Renka rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I would have!" Takeda crossed his arms too. "For one thing, I would have kept my son _at home_ and trained him _myself_ instead of shoving him off with a _known killer_ when he was as young as _six years old_."

"Oh, would you get over that?" Renka glared at him. "Don't be a baby! Just because Tanimoto is a known killer doesn't mean he would have killed our son! You know he's not like that. Also, if I'd kept him at home he would have none of the life experiences he needs to inherit the Phoenix Alliance!"

"The Phoenix Alliance, the Phoenix Alliance!" Takeda mocked. "Is that all you care about? What about the boy's _emotional_ needs, huh? What about the feeling that his mother abandoned him, that his own mother cast him off because she was too busy?"

"Pain makes people grow stronger! You know that!" Renka reminded him.

"Stronger, maybe. But healthier? Saner? You know, it is _exactly _those feelings of rejection that make some people turn to Satsujinken!" Takeda raised his voice slightly.

"_Please!_ That boy has too much of your happy-go-lucky, the-world-is-so-grand attitude to kill anyone!" Renka waved the notion away.

"You know, I remember when we first met," Takeda said, calming down a bit. "You said I would be a great opponent against Kenichi, and I thought you were pretty alright yourself. Who knew that our personalities and views were completely incompatible!"

"Your right!" Renka exclaimed, suddenly lost in thought. "You know, that's probably why Ken acts so much like you! It could have either been yours or mine; 50/50 chance! It's a random coincidence that he's so much like you!"

"What are you rambling about?" Takeda asked in confusion.

"You always were a slow one, honey," Renka said, suddenly no longer angry. "Listen, maybe the reason Ma Kenichi is so much like you is because our personalities are incompatible, and so he could only inherit one of our attitudes. So _my_ thinking is that if we have _another_ baby, it'll probably have _my_ personality instead of yours!"

"That makes absolutely no sense," Takeda said, trying to keep up.

"Oh, the genius is lost on you!" Renka rolled her eyes. "The point is, I want another baby!"

"Aren't you a little too old to think about getting pregnant again?" he asked. Renka promptly mega-slapped him with all the force of an Elite Master.

"Rude," she noted. Then she declared, "I demand that you fertilize me!"

"Always happy to oblige," Takeda grinned.

* * *

"Oh, isn't it wonderful, Eri?" Rachel said the following day during training. "The tournament is getting so much attention! All of the personal invitations I sent out have been approved, and I've received tons of entries from around the world as well!"

"I'm glad that the World Cup is going to be such a big event," Eri smiled. "But that is only to be expected since such a famous martial artist like you organized it."

"Well, that's true," Rachel accepted the compliment easily. "But it's a little strange for so many to come from English speaking countries. America, the U.K., Australia... Oh! The Eccentric Genius is entered! They say he is a prodigy of unknown origins. Perhaps you'll have met your match with him, eh, Eri?"

"I'll train hard to defeat them all," Eri assured her master.

"Oooh, even the heir of the Dupont gym in France is coming!" Rachel didn't bother responding to her disciple. She was always expected to trai hard. "He's supposed to be a genius too, although rumor has it that he's really softhearted. Probably Katsujinken. You could probably take him down, right?"

"It'll take serious killing intent to break through my defenses," Eri nodded. "I can defeat him."

"You, Tommii Hitotsu, Katsuo Yamashita, that Ma Kenichi child... I wonder if Lisa Kugenin is going to enter?"

_And under which master?_ Eri wondered to herself.

* * *

"Rachel Stanley is putting together a little tournament," Kenichi Shirahama announced at dinner. Lisa was out; supposedly she was having dinner with a friend. "I guess it'll be like the D of D. Man, that really takes me back."

"That's great! I'm sure disciples around the world will learn so much," Miu smiled as she served herself a plateful.

"Yeah! I was thinking of entering Lisa in it," Kenichi said. "I think she could stand a good chance."

Sakaki choked on his food and started coughing raggedly into his hand.

_What are you gonna do, kid?_ He thought to himself as Akisame passed him a napkin. _You're gonna have to tell him eventually. If you don't hurry, he'll enter you in this tournament thing as Katsujinken._

* * *

"I am going to enter you in Rachel Stanley's Disciple's World Cup Spectacle," Rimi declared. Lisa nodded. "But there is something you must do first."

"What is it?" Lisa asked.

"You have to choose either Kenichi Shirahama or me," Rimi said. Lisa blinked wit confusion.

"Rimi-sensei, you already know that I chose you and Satsujinken," Lisa reminded her. Rimi shook her head.

"But you still live in Ryouzanpaku," Rimi corrected. "Kenichi still thinks you are his disciple. You haven't made your choice official or common knowledge. It's time you stopped being a closet killer. It's time you told everyone who you really are."

Lisa looked down.

"I do owe it to them," Lisa noted to herself. "After all, they did not treat me poorly. I also promised Sakaki that I would eventually tell Ken-sensei about it. But to tell my mother... my father... I can't imagine how disappointed they would be."

She looked back up at Rimi.

"I'll tell them soon," she assured her.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__**I'm very sorry that it's so late. I was horridly sick this past weekend and wasn't able to update till now (also, this chapter wasn't my best work because of it, so I apologize).**_

_**Thank you for reading.**_

_**-JubJub  
**_


	30. Interlude:Part4:Kenichi's Brazil

Chapter 30

Interlude: Part 4: Kenichi's Brazil

* * *

"What happened after you left France?" Miu asked Kenichi while she was preparing dinner one day. The other masters looked over with piqued interest. "You said you went to Brazil, right? How did that go?"

"It was fine," Kenichi said, scratching his neck. "I think I developed a bad habit there, and it caused me to waste a lot of time on my journey. But I'll get into that later." He leaned back, closed his eyes, cracked his knuckles and smiled.

"Are you going to tell a story?" Ma Kensei asked excitedly.

"Of course," Kenichi said with a smile. The others wandered closer. "Since you are all so fond of hearing it, I am perfectly glad to tell."

* * *

At that time he was twenty three, having wasted much too much time in France and the U.K., and by the time he reached Brazil he had convinced himself that there was no time for distractions. He needed to get serious training done if I wanted to become an elite master.

It took him some time to find the address that Enzo had written for him, but when he did it was a startling sight. The building of the dojo was an impressive edifice that towered over the rest (which begs the question: why did it take Kenichi so long to find it?)

Kenichi spent a good while staring at it, wondering what Capoeira was, anyways. Above the gate arch was a gold circle with a symbol resembling a serpent about to strike. Kenich wondered if that was symbolic for Brazilians or Capoeiristas. Kenichi sensed someone coming behind him and turned around to see who it was.

"Are you needing something?" the person standing there asked, half polite and half growl. He was tall, quite a bit taller than Kenichi although obviously a few years younger, and was significantly darker skinned than other Brazilians he'd encountered. He was about 16 or 17, and Kenichi could tell by the look of his eye and the feel of his ki that he had a short fuse.

"Hello," Kenichi bowed out of habit, silently cursing himself for it. It pretty much marked him as a foreigner even more than his Japanese eyes and size. "My name is Kenichi Shirahama. I am a training martial artist from Japan, and a friend of mine recommended that I try studying here!"

"Japan? We know no one from there," the boy tried to push past him, but Kenichi was like a stone wall. Instead, the boy stumbled away from him and stared in silence for a moment. Then he spoke: "My name is Luiz Souza. I am the top disciple here. Who told you about this place?"

"Nice to meet you, Luiz," Kenichi pronounced his name completely incorrectly, and Luiz rolled his eyes dramatically. "I am from Japan, but the one who recommended it was Enzo-"

"Oh! You know Mister Enzo!" Luiz froze and offered a fake smile to Kenichi. "Please come in, then! I'll call my _mestre_."

Kenichi trotted in and waited for the boy to return for only a few minutes. When he did return, it was with an older man, much paler and with golden-brown hair. Kenichi could tell instantly that this man was nearly an elite master. His face was kind but rough, as if he had no intention of hurting anyone as long as no one had any intention of hurting him. The first thing that came to Kenichi's mind was that this man was one ruled by instinct alone.

"Hello, Mister _Kenucho_," he greeted. _Kenucho?_ Kenichi thought to himself with confusion. Either Luiz had heard him wrong or they were making fun of him. He shrugged and decided to correct him later. "My name is Raimundo Oliveira. My student tells me that you are wanting to defeat my school. Is this correct?"

"D-defeat?" Kenichi had never thought of it like that. "It's more that I would like to test my skills against you, if that's okay. I can tell from your ki that you are stronger than me, but the only way to get stronger is to defeat someone more powerful, right?" Raimundo eyed Kenichi as if measuring him.

"Mister Enzo called me yesterday," Raimundo stuck out his hand to shake with Kenichi. "He said you were weak but strong. I didn't think that was possible until today, because I can see what he means." Kenichi shook his hand, and Raimundo looked surprised at the feeling. They were both analyzing each other, and Raimundo was shocked at Kenichi's current ability and potential to become powerful.

Luiz stared at them, like he didn't understand what was going on.

"_Mestre_," he said, standing up and cracking his knuckles. "Let me fight _o_ _Kenucho_! He said himself that he is weaker than you! I can beat him!" Kenichi knew that the boy had spoken in English so he would understand his words and become angry, but Kenichi was definitely used to be underestimated. Raimundo looked from Kenichi to Luiz.

"Yes," he nodded. "I will allow it. Luiz, go."

Immediately, Luiz was crouched in a seemingly defensive position, rocking back and forth in constant motion. Kenichi nodded and took up his own position, deciding to start with one of Chinese Kenpo's stances.

Luiz struck first, as seemed to be his preference. He swept his legs forward, supporting part of his body with his arms, in an attempt to get Kenichi off balance.

Kenichi easily catches Luiz's foot and flips him over, but the boy was agile enough to catch himself and flip over to an upright position again. He once more took up the crouched stance, swinging his body back and forth.

Kenichi lunged forward with a Muay Thai knee in mind. Just as Luiz evaded it, Kenichi completely changed the trajectory of the attack, even despite the already-built momentum.

_Fast_, Luiz thought. He prepared to block it and waited for the impact. However, just before it hit, Kenichi stopped the blow and pushed himself two yards back. Luiz knitted his brows in confusion.

"Why didn't you strike me?" Luiz demanded.

"I thought you were going to dodge again," Kenichi said simply, completely serious. "That attack would have hurt you a lot more than I intended if it hit you directly like that. It's alright. I'll have another chance."

"Who says this fight will last that long?" Luiz snarled. "Let's see if I'll _hesitate_ like you when I knee you!"

He lunged forward as well, with a Capoeira-style knee instead. Luiz smirked. This was his ultimate attack, the one he always used as a finisher move. With it, he expected his opponent to fall in defeat quite soon.

"_Mordida de cobra_!" Luiz called his personal kneeing technique and stabbed the knee into Kenichi's side.

Or so he thought. Kenichi was at a much higher level than Luiz at this point, so the boy appeared to be moving so slowly that he might as well have been standing still. As Luiz was caught up in his attack, he lost sight of its target.

Kenichi moved behind him and with one swift motion pinned Luiz to the floor in a jiujitsu arm lock.

Luiz cursed to himself and decided to try a technique that Raimundo recently taught him to break free from locks, but-

"That will be all," Raimundo said darkly but with a sincere smile. Kenichi returned to grin and immediately released Luiz. He offered his hand to the boy for a friendly handshake, but Luiz slapped the hand away.

"Luiz!" Raimundo said sharply. Kenichi glanced at him in surprise. He would never expect a sharp word from this seemingly mellow man.

"I will only shake this _Kenucho_'s hand when I have beaten him!" Luiz growled. "Our fight will never be over until I have won! Got it, _Kenucho_? I will win!" The he ran out of the school and disappeared. Kenichi stared after him for a moment, then turned back to Raimundo.

"I seemed to have upset him," Kenichi noted.

"A very astute observation, Mister _Kenucho_," Raimundo nodded with a small smile. "As you can see, he is very much a child. To be honest, he is not my best student. But he is the oldest and the most talented. He may be of the highest level, but the others train so much harder that they will surpass him easily."

"So he's lazy," Kenichi nodded. "I guess someone with natural talent might feel like they'd already the best. I was never like that. My masters told me that I had absolutely no talent in martial arts, so I have to train like a madman every day to get stronger."

"You are a very interesting man, _Kenucho_," Raimundo said.

"Actually, my name is Kenichi, sir."

"I know. _Kenucho_ sounds better, though," Raimundo brushed his real name away. "Anyways, you have come to test your abilities against my school. I am sorry that Luiz wasn't much sport for you, but I would be glad to fight you whenever you wish."

"Thank you, Raimundo-san," Kenichi said out of habit again. He mentally cursed himself. "Would you mind if I fought you tomorrow? I'm a bit out of it from the boat ride over from France, and I would like to be at my best when I face you."

"Of course. You are to stay here during your stay in Brazil," Raimundo said and showed Kenichi to his room.

* * *

The following day, Kenichi did his daily bit of training—basic stuff, running circles around the school on his hands, practicing some techniques, etc.- and ate breakfast (compliments of Luiz, who was immensely proud of his cooking) to replenish his energy.

Some time later, Raimundo woke up groggily and stumbled into the kitchen where his plate of breakfast was already waiting for him. He sleepily shoveled the food into his mouth and swallowed, standing and bumping into a wall or two before finally finding his way to the training rooms.

"_Kenucho_," he said, rubbing his eyes. He shook his head, as if to shake off the sleepiness, and turned to Kenichi suddenly the same fully-awake person he'd met the other day. "I am ready."

"Uh, okay," Kenichi said dumbly, shocked at the man's lax qualities. He took up his stance and watched Raimundo take up the same position as Luiz had the previous day- rocking back and forth in constant motion.

Kenichi struck first. Using Fuurinji style, which mostly involved agility and power in tandem, he lurched into Raimundo's space and aimed an open-palm strike at his ankle.

Quicker than Kenichi's unprepared eye could follow, Raimundo cartwheeled out of the way right over Kenichi's body and immediately countered with head strike. Kenichi, in defense, threw up a block from his karate repertoire and quickly countered with Muay Thai.

"It is strange, I think, that you use so many styles," Raimundo noted. "You mentioned that you had multiple masters. So far I have observed karate, Muay Thai, jiujitsu, Chinese Kenpo, and a fifth style I do not recognize."

"Fuurinji style, specific to Hayato Fuurinji's family line," Kenichi supplied. Raimundo nodded.

"I have heard of him. So you are a member of his family?" Raimundo asked. Kenichi hesitated and nodded. _Son-in-law to be- close enough, right?_ "Well, I am thoroughly impressed that you have integrated all these styles into your personal martial art. You have my respect."

"Both you and Capoeira have mine," Kenichi said wholeheartedly.

They smiled at each other and launched into attacks again.

Luiz watched on with wide eyes, thinking to himself, _No wonder I lost. This man was a master. He can just about keep up with my mestre!_

As the two fought on, Luiz could hardly follow their movements with his eyes. He'd never seen his master be challenged enough to fight to this degree. Raimundo always only fought as hard as he needed to, and Luiz could tell that he was witnessing an amazing battle.

The two fell into a rhythm: lunge, dodge, counterattack, block, counterattack, lunge, etc. Kenichi got the sense that Raimundo had lulled him into a dance, a fight along a melody. He realized that the best thing to do would be-

"Mubyoshi!" He called as he cleared his mind quickly and mixed the principles of his five styles. Over the years, he'd learned to do this technique quicker and at a moment's notice.

The room was quiet after the technique. Raimundo, although the strike hadn't pierced skin, coughed a splotch of blood. Luiz called to his master. Kenichi knew he wasn't horribly injured but thought that with that the rest of the battle was his.

"That is all," Raimundo said calmly.

With his feet between Kenichi's and at close proximity, Raimundo suddenly spread his legs far, almost in a split, and Kenichi stumbled onto his back hand. In Kenichi's momentary lapse in composure, Raimundo flipped his legs into the air and, with the newly built momentum, swung them back around, landing squarely on Kenichi's chest.

The blow was devastating, and Kenichi was instantly unconscious.

* * *

After healing, Kenichi faced Raimundo several times. Although they didn't play out the same way every time, the result was the same: failure and defeat.

After one month, Raimundo sighed and turned to Kenichi.

"_Kenucho_, I am more powerful than you right now," he said. "And although I am sure that one day you will be able to defeat me, or at least be my equal, I think you still need more training until that time comes."

"What would you suggest I do?" Kenichi asked politely.

"I think you should go to other schools, for other styles," Raimundo said. "Develop your sense for who you are and what your personal mark is in battle. Once you have honed your abilities, I would like very much for you to come back and battle me again, if it's not much trouble."

"To... leave?" Kenichi blinked in surprise. This hadn't even crossed his mind. It seemed wrong to abandon this pursuit, even if he intended to return to it at some point in the future. "Oh. Yes. Of course. I... I guess I'll go pack, then."

"I'm not kicking you out, _Kenucho_," Raimundo said sharply. "You can stay here and keep training here if you wish. However, I think you should consider all the possibilities."

"I...I think I'll try taking your advice," Kenichi said pensively. "I promise I'll be back to spar with you again one day."

"Don't even bother, _Kenucho_," Luiz spat. "You'll never be strong enough to beat my _mestre_-"

"Luiz!" Raimundo said sharply again.

* * *

_**…**_

"So that was it?" Miu asked with surprise. "You just left?"

"Nope," Kenichi shook his head with a grin. "That was when I developed my habit. You see, I was _about_ to leave, but then I had this sense that something was wrong. Like something was missing, or like I had already been defeated. I thought about it, and I was halfway to my next destination when I realized what was wrong. I hopped out of the boat and swam back to shore, ran back to Raimundo's school, and burst in extremely exhausted."

"How rare for you to act so impulsively," Akisame noted.

"True," Kenichi nodded. "Anyhow, I told Raimundo that I changed my mind and that I wanted to stay until I defeated him. I refused to leave his school until I had surpassed him. He told me it would take a while; he said that every day I got stronger, he would get stronger too and I would have to grow faster to outpace him."

"Did Kenichi win?" Apachai asked excitedly.

"Well, eventually," Kenichi said, scratching his head. "But it took two years."

"_Two years?!_" Sakaki burst out laughing. "Well, what do you know! He's still talent-less Kenichi! Two years is a long time, kid! No wonder it took you so damn long to come home."

"It's not my fault that I'm naturally weak!" Kenichi stuck his tongue out at him playfully. "You're so mean, Sakaki-sensei! You know what? I'm not gonna tell you guys what happened next until next month! That's right, I'm not even going to tell you where I went next until the next story!"

"No! Kenichi, Sakaki didn't mean it! Kenichi~!"


	31. Balbutiate

Chapter 31

Balbutiate

* * *

"Stop. You're doing it wrong," Ryuto said bluntly. "Start over."

"Yes, sir," Katsuo winced. He didn't know what he had done wrong, but he replayed the image of his master doing this technique in his mind and attempted to mimic it.

Ryuto pushed up his glasses with annoyance. This was ridiculous. Katsuo had been working on this technique for weeks. Normally he would have gotten it by now. What was the issue? The apprentice should be extra motivated since he now had competition.

Katsuo could sense his master's irritation. He'd heard the deal and felt sick to his stomach. At present he may be stronger than his adversary, but he knew first hand that Ma Kenichi did remarkably well under stress or when things got serious. In a tight situation, Katsuo could lose.

He couldn't lose. Katsuo knew how much going to Kenichi's wedding meant to him. Ryuto stood steel-eyed as his student attempted the technique again.

"Your form is flawless," Ryuto said smoothly, but Katsuo winced again because he knew the criticism was coming. "But you still haven't taken into account what I told you before we started. You have to be completely aware of everything. You have to sense everything. Even if the air is still, you should still be able to feel it. This technique is about pulling yourself inward while pushing your senses outward."

"Yes, sir," Katsuo answered immediately. _You can see how that might be difficult_, he thought with a grin. "Let's try it again."

"Of course. I won't let you go to bed tonight until you've at least pushed out your senses," Ryuto said, turning away. "That's the most important part. If you can at least do that, even an incomplete version of this technique will give you an extra edge in battle."

"Yes, sir," Katsuo said.

"By the way, you have an assignment in the mail," Ryuto noted, turning away. "I don't know why the President doesn't just tell you what it is in person; he lives nearby anyways. Well, anyhow, there's a target a few towns over you need to eliminate. The information is in the file."

Katsuo grimaced but nodded. If it was for the sake of his master, he would definitely go through with the mission. He'd studied under Ryuto for almost two years now. Katsuo enjoyed an ease of forming emotional bonds with people, and Ryuto was definitely one of the people he cherished most of all. It would be an embarrassment for his disciple to do anything less that finish the missions assigned to him.

Katsuo knew why the President was doing this. Although he seemed much more mild, the boy was actually just as sadistic as Eri. It was his way to give Katsuo as many assassination jobs as he could since he was the most uncomfortable with it. However, Katsuo really didn't mind. As long as it was in the service of his master, he didn't mind at all that he was going against his better judgment.

"I wish he would consider your training when he gives you assignments," Ryuto said irritably, placing a book back in place on the bookcase. "You've still got a busy schedule ahead of you before the tournament. Hermit's disciple will lose against you, mark my words."

"How uncharacteristically childish of you to be competitive, Asamiya-sensei," Katsuo laughed.

* * *

"What do you think this is, a girl scout camp? Do you want me to send you back to your mother's training, you son of a boxer?" Tanimoto growled aggressively at Ma Kenichi.

"Sir, no, sir!" Ma Kenichi yelped in response.

"Do you want to be weaker than Odin's brat for the rest of your life?" he demanded.

"Sir, no, sir!"

"Then stop lazing around and start actually working!" Tanimoto barked, walking around to check Ma Kenichi's stance. "Spread your legs wider! You think your calves and thighs are gonna burn when you're standing regularly? You're less of a target when your lower, and you have a lower center of balance. The harder you are to knock down, the more opportunities you'll have to knock them down."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"And stop yelling like that. You sound like an idiot."

"Sir, yes...! I mean, okay."

"Good."

"I see you're hard at work," a girl's voice came from the entrance. Tanimoto and Ma Kenichi both turned and saw a prim, pale, silver-haired girl with a black fedora perched atop her head.

"Lisa!" Ma Kenichi cried and immediately rushed towards her to envelope her in a great big hug. Lisa easily got out of the way, and Ma Kenichi skidded to a stop with a pout.

"What do _you_ want?" Tanimoto asked casually with a nod of greeting. "And what do you think you're doing, brat? Get back in your stance! Your training isn't over yet!" Ma Kenichi pouted some more and resumed his training.

"I came to ask for advice from both of you," Lisa said in her usual monotone. Tanimoto looked perplexed; it wasn't Lisa's way to ask for help with anything, let alone advice. She was a fan of making her own decisions, and this was an uncharacteristic gesture.

"What about?" Tanimoto asked, now slightly suspicious. What did this girl want?

"I assume that you both know about my switch to Satsujinken?" Lisa said.

Ma Kenichi looked up sharply with a serious look on his face. Tanimoto's face darkened as well and nodded solemnly.

"Yes, we are both aware," Tanimoto said. "What of it?"

"Judging from your training regimes, I can guess that you know about Rachel Stanley's tournament, as well," Lisa went on, gesturing to Ma Kenichi without looking at him. He was still trying to catch her eye, but she refused to. "Obviously, I need to choose a side. I have already decided to enter the competition under Rimi Kokorone, who you may not know is my master now."

"She's a good martial artist," Tanimoto said lazily, obviously getting bored by her explanation. "Go on."

"However, I need to tell Ken-sensei or he'll enter me in the competition under his name, which is obviously undesirable," she went on, ignoring Tanimoto's tone. "But I also need to come up with a way to tell him that won't... aggravate the situation. He needs to be pacified, not riled up. I know that although Ken-sensei is a very mild man, he may become unpredictable when someone close to him does something unexpected."

"You're right! We don't want to hurt Uncle Shirahama's feelings or anything," Ma Kenichi agreed.

"Stop talking and start working!" Tanimoto snapped to him. He turned back to Lisa. "Here's my question for you. Why do you care?"

"About what?"

"Ken-chan. You're an unfeeling parasite, so I can't imagine why it would matter to you whether Kenichi cries himself to sleep at night," Tanimoto noted.

"I don't," she answered immediately. Ma Kenichi flinched, as if her response caused him physical pain. "To be honest, I just don't want him causing a scene. If there's one that gets me agitated, it's too much attention. If I handle the situation the wrong way, Ken-sensei will cause a ruckus."

"I don't know why you're coming to me for advice," Tanimoto said. "I'm just one of his rivals."

"Everyone knows you're one of his four best friends. Uncle Takeda can't keep his mouth shut, Uncle Niijima can't either, and frankly I think asking Miu will do more damage than good," Lisa said.

"We are not friends. We're _rivals_."

"Whatever," Lisa said. "You've known him since high school. Tell me how to deal with him."

"I think you should make him feel guilty about it," Tanimoto said thoughtfully.

"Tani-sensei!" Ma Kenichi gasped.

"It's true," he shrugged. "If you tell him that Atlantae converted you to the Killing Fist, he's gonna have something to say about it. But if you say that Kenichi drove you _from_ the Living Fist, he'll just sulk and blame himself forever. I mean, his feelings will be hurt and he'll probably be scarred for life and never take on a disciple ever again, but it'll get you your result."

"Thank you," Lisa bowed. "Your advice has been most helpful."

"Wait, Lisa!" Ma Kenichi abandoned his stance once more. "You can't do that. Think of Uncle Shirahama! He'll be heartbroken! He's just about to get married! He doesn't deserve that cruelty. You can't hurt him like that."

"The wedding is in almost seven months," Lisa said sharply. "That's plenty of time to recover. It didn't take that long for you to get over it, now did it?"

Ma Kenichi recoiled, as if she'd smacked him on the face. Why hadn't her conversion affected him much? He didn't know, but the guilt from his apathy was enormous.

Lisa turned and walked away. Of course, she hadn't meant to insult or injure Ma Kenichi's tender feelings. She was simply stating a fact. It really hadn't taken him very long to lose interest in her conversion, and it didn't bother her in the slightest.

"Back to work," Tanimoto said with much less ardor, distracted and frustrated. What was wrong with that child? She really was like a robot.

He couldn't figure out her motives for anything.

* * *

"What a relaxing day, eh?" Kenichi said, stretching his muscles after his daily training. He lounged beside Sakaki and took a long drink of sake with his master. The other masters were all preoccupied, but that didn't mean these two couldn't unwind.

"Yeah," Sakaki grunted in reply. "It's been a long time. It's great that you're old enough to drink now."

"I'll say! It was really annoying having you offer me drinks I couldn't take back then," Kenichi said with a laugh.

Sakaki fell silent. He'd aimed to get Kenichi alone so he might tell him about his own disciple. Now that the time was finally near, he was beginning to have second thoughts. After all, Lisa had every right to tell Kenichi herself. On the other hand, Kenichi had every right to know as soon as possible, and Lisa sure was taking her sweet time.

What was he to do? Should he keep his word to Lisa and continue deceiving Kenichi? Or should he be loyal to his precious disciple and tell him already?

He decided he valued Kenichi more than Lisa.

"Kenichi, listen. I've got to talk to you about Lisa," he started.

"What about Lisa? Did she say something to you?" Kenichi asked innocently. Sakaki cursed himself. He had to do this.

"Yes. Somethin' has been happening with her. Listen-"

"Kenichi. Sakaki-san," Freya's voice interrupted them. "Hello."

"Freya!" Kenichi stood with a smile. "What brings you here?"

"I was just talking with Miu about wedding plans," Freya said. "We'll be returning to the United States soon, but we want to get married here so we'll be back."

"Siegfried's going with you back to America?" Kenichi beamed. "That's great news! I'm happy for you, Freya!"

"By the way, Miu's calling you," Freya said with a kind smile.

"Oh! Sorry, Sakaki-sensei, I guess we'll talk later!"

"See ya." Kenichi excused himself and jogged to wherever Miu was. Freya and Sakaki stared at each other, Sakaki's look that of resentment for interrupting the conversation.

"Sakaki-san," Freya sighed and sat down beside him. "Lisa has been... different ever since childhood. Her first inclinations were always towards Satsujinken, and I thought that by sending her to train with Kenichi those tendencies would be repressed. Unfortunately, it failed."

"Y-You know about her?" Sakaki asked in surprise. Why hadn't she made a bigger deal about it?

"I always knew she would," Freya said with a rye smile. "There's not much that goes on in her life that a mother wouldn't know about just by looking and feeling her look on me. I know she has changed."

"Why did you stop me from telling Kenichi?" Sakaki demanded. "You know that he deserves the truth!"

"Yes, I definitely owe him that much for taking care of my child for nine years," Freya said calmly. "But I told you about Lisa's childhood because I want you to understand that Lisa is exactly the same person she was before. She is not a 'tainted' version of herself, or a better one. She is still Lisa. So she can still be trusted to tell Kenichi in her own time."

"It isn't fair to keep it from 'em," Sakaki pointed out gruffly.

"It also isn't fair to take that from Lisa," Freya retorted. "She has the right to tell Kenichi herself."

Sakaki fell silent, but nodded, taking another drink from his bottle.

* * *

Who knew that the melody of fatherhood was so amazing?

Siegfried had already been a father with Lisa, but there was something different about this experience. Lewis actually seemed to need him in a way that the independent Lisa never did. He was fragile, delicate, and Siegfried felt the overpowering need to protect him.

"La la la!" Siegfried chanted excitedly as Lewis attempted a handstand. "What a marvelous tune! I must record it!" He instantly jotted down notes for a smaller piece he might work on.

Lewis blinked up at him with wide eyes. He made signs with his hands, which Siegfried knew was sign language but couldn't interpret. He could already recognize the words "emergency" and "help" and "candy," but everything else was out of his league.

"I apologize, little man," Siegfried cooed. "I do not know your words yet. But I will learn so the lyrics of your heart can at last be heard!"

Lewis gave a wide smile. He didn't know some of the things his father said, but it made him happy that he accepted him. Lewis had heard many things about his family, and he half expected them to completely reject him. He knew that Lisa had. But Siegfried seemed to be strangely accepting of him, and for that he offered copious amounts of gratitude.

"To tell you the truth, little man," Siegfried thought out loud. "I am very afraid of you. Not you per se, but you can understand how I might be a bit troubled! La la! After all, my own daughter converted to Satsujinken, and I didn't stop her! I am concerned that I will in some way damage you as well."

Lewis didn't understand most of that either, but he could feel Siegfried's intentions. He placed a chubby four-year-old hand on Siegfried's knee and smiled reassuringly.

_This is different_, Siegfried thought with a smile. _This is a different child. A new life, a new chance. I have the power to make him a good soul. I must try._

"Ah!" Siegfried announced and stood abruptly. Lewis looked startled. "Don't be concerned, little man! I know just what to do for you!" He rushed off to his closet and rummaged through what seemed like tons of old junk.

Lewis opened and closed his little mouth in confusion, his eyes still wide from the fright. He was easy to excite and he had a "flight" response to ever danger. He was like a little flighty dear in that way.

"Have you ever heard," Siegfried started as he continued searching. "Of a book and cartoon called Trumpet of the Swan by a man called E.B White?"

Siegfried poked out his head to look, and Lewis shook his head fervently.

"Well, it is about a Trumpeter Swan," Siegfried said. He exclaimed triumphantly when he found what he was looking for. "In the book, the lives of those birds revolves around music and noise and sounds. However, one poor little swan is born without a voice. Everyone teases him and when he is child, he is very sad."

Lewis, put his hand to his heart and looked down despondently.

"But he does not give up! No, brave little men never give up!" Siegfried said dramatically, leaping over to his couch and standing on it majestically. "When he is old enough to fly, he goes off and learns to be himself in the world of humans! He learns to read, write, and eventually he picks up an instrument; a trumpet, for which he species is named!"

Lewis was now very interested, and he watched wide-eyed as his father over-dramatically enacted the course of the book, spreading his arms as metaphorical wings and leaping this way and that around the room.

"Even despite all the disadvantages," Siegfried settled in front of his son and looked him directly in the eyes. "He still enchanted many with his melodies. And soon, you shall as well."

He handed Lewis a small, child-sized trumpet. The child looked up at his father with confusion. What was this for?

"Yes! I will do what I can and teach you the beauties of music!" Siegfried pointed at the child dramatically. "If it is your wish, I will teach you how to play the trumpet and unleash your inner strength!"

Lewis nodded violently. He wanted to know the beauty his father heard in everything, the tempo and melody that echoed through his soul!

"I'll have my son spreading the music!" Siegfried announced, scooping up the young boy and swinging him around.

He laughed loud enough for the both of them, and Lewis settled for the widest smile of his life.

* * *

"Mission complete," Katsuo said gravely to the President.

"Good," he said abruptly. "I'll send you your next one when your finished." Katsuo didn't leave, and they remained in awkward silence for a few moments. "Can I... help you?"

"I just wanted to know... how Lisa's doing with her assignments and things?" Katsuo asked nervously, twiddling his thumbs. "Since, you now, even if we're friends and all she really won't tell me if she's having troubles with something."

"Your concern is admirable although useless," the President said without looking up. "She is doing perfectly fine. Now get out of my sight."

"B-but do you think she's coping with the transition well?" Katsuo asked nervously. "You know, she's been Katsujinken all her life, and-"

"What do you want me to say?" the President interrupted. "She's an amazing prodigy and doesn't show any emotion when killing? That she's delightful and strong and probably going to be fighting with us for a long time?"

"D-delightful?" Katsuo stuttered. What a strange word for the typically apathetic martial artist to use.

"Yes. She is very interesting," the President said simply.

Katsuo knew what that meant. For someone who always toned down emotions, "interesting" was an impossibly strong feeling.

* * *

"And you?" Katsuo asked. Lisa looked up.

"What about me?" she asked with confusion. Katsuo forgot that he'd only been thinking about the President's thoughts.

"Uh, the President," Katsuo said quickly. "Is he putting too much work on you? I hope you're not struggling, because if you are I could help you."

"I don't need help," Lisa said calmly. "My work is moderate and I have enough time to train with Rimi-sensei. Don't worry so much."

"But the President isn't making you do anything... weird, right?" Katsuo asked, not sure what he was trying to get out of her. He felt something pernicious deep in his soul. The jealousy could eat him up.

"Weird?" Lisa wasn't sure what he was trying to get out of her, either. "The President has always been a perfect gentleman. I'm not sure what you mean."

"Gentleman?" Katsuo had absolutely _never_ heard him described like that.

"Well, of course," Lisa said calmly. "He is perfectly civil to me, and his strength is intriguing. The President is a very interesting person."


	32. Rectalgia

Chapter 32

Rectalgia

* * *

Tommii Hitotsu sat in silence.

Thos was unremarkable, of course, since he hadn't spoken a word in almost a year. However, although his silence was typical his brooding aura was not. As he sulked moodily on the bleachers near the pool, everyone who passed by veered out of his way. His general demeanor was unsettling.

The school's swim team was still practicing, but Tommii was willing to wait. He had business with one of the swimmers.

Finally, the captain adjourned the meeting. Ma Kenichi, his hair tied tightly to the back of his head for the swim, lifted himself from the pool dramatically, stretching his arms so the sun might reflect off his taut muscles and bronze skin. He enjoyed the feeling that someone was looking at him and adored this kind of attention.

Tommii stood. This was the person he was looking for.

He stalked over to Ma Kenichi as he slipped on the sandals waiting for him near his locker and removed the goggles. He stunk of chlorine and he was soaking wet, but this was about the only time Ma Kenichi could be found alone.

Ma Kenichi caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye and smiled kindly.

"I know you, right?" Ma Kenichi extended his hand in greeting. "I think we're in the same class! I'm Ma Kenichi."

Tommii shook his hand and bowed slightly but, of course, did not respond.

"You're the guy that doesn't talk," Ma Kenichi nodded, seemingly proud of himself for remembering this minute detail. "You were friends with Tsubasa and Midori back in the day, right?"

Tommii flinched. He hadn't been prepared for this accusation. How did he know? _Tsubasa probably told him_, Tommii told himself. Did he know the whole story? Did he know that he practically betrayed his friends when he joined Yoakeko?

He nodded. He might as well acknowledge the fact that he was right.

"Great! Any friend of Tsubasa's is a friend of mine!" Ma Kenichi said, slapping his hand on Tommii's back.

Until now, Tommii had always associated Ma Kenichi with Midori Niijima. Not because they were identical or anything (because physically they looked totally different), but because their charm and charisma were similar. They both had a way of making others gravitate towards them.

However, Tommii now noted, their personalities were different as well. Midori was calm, kind, princely. He had the regal air of someone who knew exactly what needed to be done but was willing to hear your opinion. Midori was a natural leader and a powerful martial artist, but his true power was in his kindness.

Tommii thought that Ma Kenichi was kind as well, but in a simpler way. Of course, Ma Kenichi was much stupider than Midori. That was just genes. But where Midori seemed like a being far above everyone else, like something to aspire to, Ma Kenichi was just a common boy. He was relatable, simple, and a joyful spirit. He had none of the complexity that defined Midori's character. Ma Kenichi either loved or he didn't; He either cared or he didn't. There was no halfway.

_And for now, he cares about me_, Tommii thought warily.

He swatted Ma Kenichi's hand off his shoulder and stared at him. He formed a fist and gestured towards Ma Kenichi.

"Your fist… fighting," Ma Kenichi thought, excited to be deciphering Tommii's silent words. "Yeah! I'm a martial artist too! Wait a minute… are you here to talk about that big tournament?"

Tommii nodded and pointed to himself with another nod. Then he pointed at Ma Kenichi and cocked his head.

"You're in it, right?" Ma Kenichi smiled widely. "Me, too! I guess that means we might fight each other eventually!"

Tommii nodded again. He stared at him, shooting him a serious look full of determination. Ma Kenichi grinned.

"We're rivals then," Ma Kenichi went on. "But I want us to be friends, too! It would be best if we could fight each other without hate, don't you think?"

Tommii blinked in surprise, but nodded haltingly.

"Yay! I made a new friend!" the Chinese boy whooped.

Just then, Tsubasa was making her way there to meet Ma Kenichi after swimming practice. When she saw him being friendly with Tommii, she couldn't help recall the days when she, Tommii, and Midori were best friends. Inseperable.

_History repeats itself, huh_? She thought with an inward smile.

* * *

"It's so exciting!" Rachel enthused to her disciple. Eri was contorted into a position that couldn't be possible for normal people, but martial arts seem to transcend the capabilities of the human body. Even so, she managed a smile for her master.

"People are reacting to your tournament, master?" Eri asked haltingly.

"Yes! It's so marvelous!" Rachel said, pacing ecstatically. "It's all really happening! You know, I just got word that some disciple-master pairs are already being sighted in the area!"

"What? This soon?" Eri released her stance when she exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't it a little early for that?"

"Well, of course it is!" Rachel spun and pointed at Eri dramatically. "Usually the ones who come this early are either small-fry who won't last long, idiots who think coming early is a good idea, or weirdos who like to do random stuff."

"Or a combination of the three," Eri chuckled.

"Back to work, Eri," Rachel ordered. "I won't have you slacking from now until the tournament, young lady!"

* * *

Katsuo sat in the park, sitting idly on the swing set with a wistful smile on his face. He'd been to this spot one time with Lisa. That was one of few times that the two of them hung out socially alone. He cherished that memory.

The wind was biting and cold; winter was just upon them, and Katsuo knew that in the next month or so the snow would start. It was a shame that most of that time would be spent training.

Katsuo sighed. He'd come to dread training. He still enjoyed practicing martial arts and he definitely still wanted to train under Ryuto Asamiya, but something felt strange. Every time he had to use his training in real battle, he was reluctant to start.

Was there something wrong with him? This hesitance would eventually be his downfall, he knew. As long as this turmoil still stirred within him, Katsuo knew he couldn't be as strong as he possibly could.

"Life sucks," a voice said near him.

Katsuo jumped a foot in the air. He hadn't noticed the boy, around his age, sitting right next to him on the swing set. After a short glance, Katsuo determined that the boy wasn't from Japan. He had seemingly natural honey-colored hair that sat like a mop on his otherwise modestly handsome face.

"I agree," Katsuo said simply, turning to face forward again. "I wonder if it gets better when we grow older."

"I wouldn't bet on it," the boy remarked. "Adults are always complaining about how taxes and work and kids all suck. I think life is like an old-school video game; it doesn't seems to end, and it just keeps getting harder until you die."

"That's a grim analogy, but sure!" Katsuo agreed. "My name is Katsuo Yamashita. Who're you?"

"Liam Malik Xavier Cole IV," Liam introduced himself and offered his hand. Katsuo stared at him, but eventually shook it.

"Liam, right?" Katsuo asked cautiously. Liam nodded. "Alright. You're obviously not from around here. I'm guessing American?"

"You've got that right, Mr. Katsuo," Liam nodded fervently. "Land of the free and the home of the brave, as they say. I don't know about that, but I _do _know that our pizza is better than here."

"You have amazing Japanese," Katsuo was impressed. It was rare for foreigners to be so eloquent in Japanese.

"Not really," he shrugged. "All the Japanese I know I learned from watching anime."

"You… really?"

"Uh-huh," Liam nodded slowly.

"Are you an otaku by any chance?"

"Uh-huh."

"Alright," Katsuo said, suddenly intrigued. He'd never had a lengthy conversation with an otaku before. "So what brings you to Japan? Are you just seeing the sights?"

"Actually came for a sporting event," Liam said cryptically. "I am a contender in said event. It's a… tournament of sorts."

* * *

Chikage Kushinada stood on the roof of her old high school.

_What a waste_, she thought. The gardening club used to be held here, but now it was a dump. It was a pity to see the plants she helped raise all dead.

_I wonder if my disciple is in town yet_, she pondered. Prior to her arrival in the town, she had some business to attend to elsewhere, but she thought it would be wise to send her student ahead of her.

It had been such a long time. If she recalled correctly, Kenichi Shirahama was in town again. She hadn't seen him since their time in Vietnam, although they'd spoken several times over the phone during their world meetings.

Chikage had been quite busy since she left Japan. After her conversion to Katsujinken, many martial artists searched for her and challenged her, thinking she was weak. To this day, those who underestimated her strength were always on the losing side.

She considered simply greeting Kenichi and the rest of Ryouzanpaku like a normal person. She decided against it. Perhaps it was a better choice to stick around but to keep herself hidden until the time was right

This decision was one of self-preservation since whenever she met up with Kenichi he would behave very embarrassingly, as if he were her older brother or something.

* * *

"Alright! I will show you the beauty of Japanese hospitality!" Katsuo said, suddenly fired up. Liam nodded apathetically. "Firstly, I will introduce you to some people! Allow me to take you to meet Lisa Kugenin, the most amazing girl in town!"

"That sounds good," Liam agreed without expression.

Just as Katsuo dragged Liam towards Ryouzanpaku, they ran into a familiar figure on the way.

"Ah! Haru!" Katsuo said in greeting. Thee small pixie-like girl waved at them fervently.

"Hello, Katsuo? Who's your friend?" she asked.

"He's this weird little guy I met at the park! His name is Liam!" Katsuo said by way of introduction. Haru stared at Liam, then at Katsuo. "Liam, this is Kihara Haru, one of my classmates and a friend-"

"Katsuo…. Can I speak to you for a moment? Privately?" she said, grabbing his arm and dragging him a little ways off.

"What is it? You know, it's rude to leave a guest like that-"

"Are you nuts?" she demanded. Katsuo blinked in surprise. "Did you really not notice, or are you an idiot?"

"Notice what?"

"Liam was his name? Yeah, well, Liam is a seriously strong martial artist!" she hissed. "Can't you tell by his ki? This guy is powerful and clearly insane!"

"What?" Katsuo drew back in shock. Liam was a martial artist? He never knew!

"He must be in town for the tournament, you big buffoon!" she fussed, smacking him. "Go over there and talk to him! Find out as much information as you can!"

"A-alright," Katsuo blinked sheepishly, still in shock. He noticed that Haru was dragging a suitcase behind her. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yep! I'm meeting my master in Russia!" she beamed. "I won't be around for the next half year or so, so don't get into any trouble! And don't be an idiot."

"No guarantees!" Katsuo laughed. "Train hard and be strong."

"Train hard and be strong," Haru repeated to him with a smile. They fist-bumped, since of all the Yoakeko members these two were the most childish.

After Haru left, Katsuo returned to Liam who was still waiting patiently.

"Sorry about the wait," he apologized.

"It's alright. I was just making a mental list of all the times I brushed my teeth yesterday," Liam said strangely. "You know, dental hygiene is very important."

"Uh… sure," Katsuo said uneasily. This guy was seriously wacko. "Listen, Haru said you have the ki of a martial artist. Is that true?"

"Uh-huh," Liam nodded. "Some people call me the Eccentric Genius. Like I'm some kind of weirdo or something." He shrugged. Katsuo nodded, like that made perfect sense.

"Well, I'm a martial artist too," Katsuo said slowly. "And I was wondering… are you Katsujinken or Satsujinken?"

"I'm a Living Fist type myself," Liam said. "So are you, right? You have a gentle ki."

"No, actually, I'm Satsujinken," he admitted. Liam stared at him. His eyes seemed to have lasers in them to analyze every part of him. Katsuo felt kind of violated.

"Are you sure?" Liam asked.

This question stunned Katsuo. Was he sure? He was definitely a killer. He'd murdered many people in his life already. But was he sure about this way of life? Was this the path he was going to choose?

"Yes," Katsuo said out of habit. "I am." Liam shrugged and started talking about something completely unrelated immediately after.

With Haru out of the country, there was no one else that knew Katsuo had met Liam. If any of the others found out, they would surely demand to gather information about him and perhaps even do battle with him.

Katsuo didn't want to fight Liam. Despite his quirks, Liam was a good person and probably stronger than him anyways.

He was going against orders. And he was doing his own bidding instead of his master's.

But he decided to keep his meeting Liam a secret.

* * *

"There it is! Grab it!" Ma Kensei whispered harshly to Shigure. She limberly leaned down from the ceiling and reached for the journal that lay on Kenichi's bedside table. "Hurry, before Kenichi and Miu come back!"

"You know, it's always possible to just ask Kenichi for it," Akisame reasoned.

"Between the logical choice and the fun choice, those guys will always go for fun," Sakaki noted. Akisame nodded in agreement and went back to his sculpture. "What's in that notebook, anyways?"

"It's Kenichi's… diary," Shigure said.

"No way! Kenichi keeps a diary?" Sakaki burst out laughing.

"It's more of a travel log and a battle journal," Ma Kensei explained. "Ken-chan told me about it when he first got here. It has the details of all the things that happened while he was gone. You know, those stories he refuses to tell us because Sakaki made him mad!"

"How was I supposed to know he would be sensitive about that?" he muttered. "Anyways, just grab the notebook and get out here so we can all read it!"

"Kenichi's traps have… improved," Shigure explained. "He… set traps around it. So we have to get… creative." She got out her chain-sickle and tossed it at the journal, somehow managing to get the hook at the end of it to wrap around it. She tugged back sharply, and the journal landed calmly in her hand.

"As expected of our weapons' master!" Ma Kensei whooped. "Gather 'round, guys! Now we can finally find out what our disciple was up to!"

So they read.

_**Interlude Arc Begins**_

_**Author's note**__**: The next set of chapters will be about Kenichi's stories from around the world. I got sick of trying to squeeze an entire plot into a single interlude chapter, so I decided to have a short arc about it. I kind of enjoy writing about twenty-year-old Kenichi anyways.**_

_**-JubJub**_


	33. Meeting Lisa

Chapter 33

_Meeting Lisa_

* * *

**From the journal of Kenichi Shirahama during his travels:**

_Dear Journal_,

My 25th birthday just passed. I thought about calling back home, but for some reason I thought it would be really awkward. After all, I haven't really been doing all that well. Maybe I ought to work hard for a little longer before I tell them how I'm doing.

Uwaaaah! Time passes so quickly! I can't believe it's been six years. It's kind of daunting to think I haven't seen Miu in that long, but her face is still vivid in my mind. And I've only been to two places! This is kind of embarrassing. I hope I can get some real training done at my next destination.

Leaving Brazil was harder than I expected. After beating Raimundo, I fought Luiz. I still won since I have a ton more experience, but I think I'll visit them again for the rematch I'm sure he'll demand. Knowing I was coming back, it made saying goodbye that much more difficult.

Especially since I don't know where I'm going next. Vietnam? India? I've always wanted to see Italy. But maybe I should go somewhere a little closer to where I am now. It's not necessarily on the same continent, but technically on the same hemisphere. I already have a contact there anyways!

This is just conjecture. I'll probably head back to Europe or something. We'll see.

* * *

I decided to go to the United States after all.

I'm kind of nervous! You know, there are a lot of stereotypes about Americans. I wonder if they're true or not. I also hope that my English is good enough! After my college years in England I've definitely become fluent, but somehow going to America is different. I know how to handle Europeans. I have no experience with Americans other than Jennifer Grey, and I only met her once.

I hope I don't have to learn to like fast food, because I can only handle so much of that stuff.

* * *

When I got off the plane, the first thing I noticed was how fast everything was moving. I mean, there's a rush hour in Japan as well but this was just insane! It was like people were constantly late for something! It really put my on edge just to be standing near so much anxiety!

Once I got used to it, it wasn't that bad. Apparently something Americans value is speed- fast food, fast service, fast everything. Everywhere you go you have to learn to accept the culture.

I'll be staying with Freya during my stay in America, but I hope I won't be burdening her for long. She met me at the airport and was very kind.

Freya's hair has gotten a lot longer, and maturity suits her well. I'm glad that we've all grown so much!

She drove me to her home- on the way there she told me that she had a bit of trouble during her college years, but judging from her car and clothes she wasn't suffering anymore. When we arrived at her home and she opened the door, I was surprised by what came to greet us.

Or rather who. Apparently, Freya had a child with Siegfried!

Kids are really cute! Freya's baby is no exception- her face is plump and her hands are chubby, with gorgeous huge blue eyes just like her mother's and hair the same color as her father's. Adorable!

Her name is Lisa Kugenin. It is an American name, I think. Freya probably gave it to her so people wouldn't look at her weird in school and stuff.

When I first saw her, she had a long stick in her hands. It was as long as her body like a walking-stick.

Freya told me she was four years old, and I was even more surprised to learn that she was already training in martial arts! Jesus, these people need to calm down! Let the kids grow a little before making them master their bodies! But Miu was trained since she was a baby too, so I guess it really does make you stronger.

Lisa is training in the Kugatachi style under her mother and is, apparently, a very talented staff-user for her age. Freya said she was a genius. Normally I would have chalked it up to a doting mother, but I watched her train one time and I think she's right. Lisa is definitely going to be a great master one day. Freya is lucky to have such a talented child. After all, now Lisa won't have to work as hard as certain talent-less weaklings! (me) (;_;)

They live in a small house, since Freya never was one for extravagance and the two really didn't need much room, but their back yard was enormous. After a quick promise to not wreck the grass or fences, Freya said I was free to use it to train.

Lisa was a bit too young for school, so Freya was relieved to let me watch Lisa while she was at work. After all, babysitting costs add up. During the day and between her own, Lisa would almost always come out and watch my training. She seemed fascinated, and kind of confused about my ki training. I assume she was sensing the ki but didn't know what it was yet. I'm sure Freya will explain it to her eventually.

Lisa spoke often to her mother, but her tone was soft and soporific. To me, she rarely said anything. The only noise she made was through her cello, which I was quite impressed with her skill at. I swear, a normal four-year-old would _not_ be able to be this skilled in everything. It must be genetic since both Siegfried and Freya are really talented people.

* * *

When I came to America, I kind of had the intention of asking Freya to spar with me a few times. I always hate fighting women, but we're on the same level anyways so I shouldn't be in a situation to get a hit in anyways. But Freya, although she's not suffering anymore, works hard. Like, _really_ hard.

She seems to like her job, but it looks so taxing. She comes home every day with this look of utter exhaustion on her face. I'm not to bad at cooking, so I usually make her something to eat. After that, she spends some time with Lisa and finds the energy to give her a martial arts lesson and train her own abilities. She's still a practicing martial-artist! It makes my tired just thinking about it.

When I mentioned the whole "sparring" thing to her, just to offer her some variation in her usual training regime, she thanked me but said that she was weaker than me and she knew that I couldn't hit women.

Hah! Freya thinks I'm stronger than her! She has no idea how much of a slacker I've been. I feel absolutely horrible about it. I mean, sure I haven't gotten any weaker and I was able to overcome Raimundo's gym, but that does _not_ mean I'm getting stronger! I think people overestimate me a little.

She also gave me permission to take Lisa out to parks and things. As long as I told her where we were going beforehand and I made sure to always keep my eye on her, it was fine.

This made me happy. I kind of like kids, and its an incredible experience to have one rely on you like that. Although they maybe don't realize or notice it, their entire life depends on you. It's up to you to protect and make that child strong. It's a wicked responsibility, but it is so empowering.

I think I'm getting carried away. After all, Lisa isn't _my_ baby.

* * *

Me and Lisa hang out a lot more now. It feels kind of strange to describe my social life as "hanging out with a four-year-old," but that's what I have reverted to. Well, it's better than middle school when I was "hanging out with myself" (;_;).

There's something I notice about Lisa. She seems a little weird. When I take her to the nearest park/playground, she kind of avoids the other kids. Frankly, they kind of avoid her too. I mean, I guess she's a little creepy for the other toddlers. After all, she could easily pound their faces into the ground and you can kind of tell. Hell, she probably could have destroyed _me_ before I started training!

I mean, sure she's kind of standoffish, but Lisa is a very sweet girl. She's polite and calm and always knows the right thing to say. She doesn't smile often, but it's a beautiful sight. She's honest, and you can always tell when she is truly happy. But I guess a lot of kids are like that before they really experience the world: I love her innocence!

I think she has made a friend! Whenever we go to the park, a strange stray cat is always there waiting for her, and she spends a whole lot of time petting and stroking it. I think she's really attached to the cat. Some would say that having no friends other than a cat is unhealthy, but I didn't really have a friend until I met Miu and we became friends, and then Niijima forced his fake friendship on me! I turned out fine (I hope...).

I think it's great that Lisa can form a bond like that with the cat. I wonder if she'll ask Freya if she can keep it. I'll definitely vouch for her then, because she just looks so adorable hugging a little cat.

Hah~... kids are so cute!

* * *

"Hey, do you want me to teach you something?" I asked Lisa. She jumped in surprise. I didn't usually say anything to her when she watched me train. To be honest, I needed to muster a lot of courage to offer. I mean, what right do I have to teach her a move? I'm not even an elite master yet!

She nodded curtly, then hesitated.

"Do you use a staff?" she asked. I smiled.

"I know the basics of using weapons," I said, squatting down to talk to her at her level. "But I'm not a master at using a staff specifically. Is that a problem?" Lisa nodded fervently.

"Mother says that women are stronger with a weapon," she said quietly with a reciting tone. "It's smarter to train your body with a weapon than just your fists."

"That may be true to some extent," I said thoughtfully. "But what if you don't have a weapon? Don't you think you ought to at least have a way to protect yourself?" Lisa thought about this.

"What if I forget how to use my staff?" Lisa asked softly. I laughed a little. Maybe that was rude. I patted her head. Maybe that came across as condescending.

"You really love using your staff, right?" I asked. She seems pretty passionate about it. Lisa nodded. "Then you won't forget. Martial arts can become a part of you, and you won't lose it. Now, do you want to learn one move? It could come in handy."

She hesitated again, then nodded once. I grinned, then stood up.

"Pay close attention," I said, taking up the familiar stance. She mimicked the position. "I'm going to teach you something derived from Baguazhang that is sometimes called the stepping method. But I know it as _kouho haiho_."

* * *

We've got a problem.

Today, at the park Lisa was playing and a young boy started to bother her. Lisa can usually hold her own in this type of situation, but I lost my cool when the little boy kicked her cat. I told him to lay off and leave Lisa alone.

What he did was get his guardian. The man was older, maybe early twenties or late teens. Could have been the kid's brother, could have been his father. Anyways, I could tell right off the bat that this guy was the type to go looking for a fight.

He started to get snippy, accusing me of harassing his son and stuff. At around this time I realized that the guy wasn't just any brawler; he was a martial artist. Albeit a low-level one. I could probably defeat him without too much trouble, but you could never be sure.

He started picking a fight, and I used a small, harmless jujitsu hold to pacify him. I really didn't do anything wrong! I arm-locked him for about a second so that he would cool off and then I let him go. No harm done!

But he gets really red in the face, probably mad or embarrassed, and he scoops up Lisa's cat and starts to run away. Meanwhile, the little boy started to push Lisa around. She used Kouho Haiho on him, and the kid fell, but he turned around quickly and grabbed her leg, lifting it up so she would topple over out of balance. This toddler had obviously been in a baby-sized scuffle before.

I rushed over to Lisa, who was crying a little bit. I looked all over for injuries, but there was only a little scrape on her knee. When I asked her why she was still crying, she looked up at me with a look of heartbreak.

"The kitty is gone," she said softly, hiccuping quietly. "They took him. I want the kitty to be here with me." Something in me snapped. Lisa cried sometimes, but never like this.

"Lisa..." I said, standing up slowly, offering my hand to help her to her feet. She struggled, but stood as she wiped fears of of her face. It made no difference, since different tears quickly replaced them.

"Please... Ken-sensei," Lisa had already begun to call him that. "Help me. Please help me get him back." I smiled with determination.

"You bet, Lisa," I said, placing my hand on her head. "We'll get him back."

Yep. I'm going all commando on that man just to get a cat on. Because a crying child asked me to. This is gonna be trouble.

Hope it doesn't end in disaster.

I'll report in when it's all done.

_-Kenichi Shirahama_


End file.
